Unanticipated
by Kouga's Eternal
Summary: It started with an unfaithful hanyou, followed by a discovery, then a choice. How will Kagome's decisions come back to bite Kouga after the wish is made? N/C, A/U, All normal disclaimers apply.
1. Chapter 1

Tears sprung to her eyes, a gasp clogging up her her throat so large she nearly couldn't breathe. She couldn't move, her body refusing to follow her command to turn and run the other way. She couldn't be seeing what she was. It had to be a trick of the mind. It had to be all her insecurities rearing up and turning a dream into a nightmare. What she was seeing couldn't be real.

It just couldn't.

But, with every soft word that caressed her ears as softly as his fingers caressed Kikyo's cheek, Kagome knew it was. Her body continued to betray her as it forced her to watch InuYasha shower affection she could only dream of on someone else. Not just anyone else, either; a dead someone else.

Kikyo wasn't even alive and she was still able to render InuYasha into a begging little bastard, falling all over himself to please her, all but dropping to his knees to kiss her ass. However, with the way the conversation was going, Kagome wouldn't be surprised at this point if the offer was made.

It wasn't bad enough that he was with another woman behind her back. Oh, no. He had to add insult to injury and not even keep her out of it.

 _She's nothing but a shard detector._

 _She's nothing compared to you._

 _I protect her only so I can avenge you._

That last one hurt more than anything InuYasha had ever said about her before, and he has said a lot. It's one thing to know she was really nothing more than a means to an end, but it was another to have it so blatantly displayed before her.

She may as well have been made of stone for as little impact her presence made on the couple too wrapped up in each other to hear her heart shattering. Her hands lifted to her face, fingers covering her quivering lips as the whimper she had been choking on finally worked its way free at the sight of Inuyasha's head descending. It was with only strength given to her by the Gods she was finally able to turn away from the sight, but the damage was done. She would never be able to forget what she saw.

With her eyes clouded with tears and her vision obstructed, she blindly ran back the way she came and towards the rest of the group, the empty water bottles she intended to fill being left behind at the site of her destruction.

The other shard hunters looked to the path where the sound of frantic footfalls quickly closed in, all of them jumping to their feet, ready for whatever came into the clearing... or so they thought. They expected Kagome to be the one that entered the clearing, but they weren't expecting her to be a blubbering mess of tears and snotty sobs.

Sango and Shippo were both quick to her side, but not even they were able to calm her enough to tell them what happened. All she was able to get out between shows of heartbreak was 'home'.

Sango, though not sure why her best friend was so distraught, nodded without hesitation, calling over her neko, Kirara, to take Kagome back to the well. Why she wasn't overly fond of the idea to let Kagome go by herself in the state she was in, she knew well enough that all Kagome needed was some space to calm down and couple of days away from the hanyou Sango was pretty she was going to kill.

Shippo, who normally went with Kagome and stayed at the village while she was in her time, cried out when she didn't pick him up before she climbed on the large cat demon's back, instantly spurring her into taking off. She was in such a rush to leave the clearing before InuYasha returned, she left everything behind, including her bow and arrows.

 _How did this happen? How did I end up here? How do I come second to an animated fucking corpse?_

These thoughts and others ran a vicious cycle through Kagome's mind as she sat atop Kirara on her way to the Bone Eater's Well. She was once again going home because of something InuYasha did after how many times she said she would never do that again? The only reason she ever wanted to leave was when she had to go home for supplies or school, yet here she was, bawling her eyes out on her way home because of him.

This couldn't keep happening. There was too much to do for this to continue. She couldn't keep letting him affect her like this, to the point she's running away as fast as a demon could fly. Why couldn't he see she was every bit as good as Kikyo? Better, actually, because Kagome was alive. She could give him everything the dead priestess couldn't. InuYasha was just too blind to see it.

Too blind? Or did he just not care?

Another round of soul shattering sobs struck Kagome's body, nearly knocking her off Kirara's back. She couldn't do anything but lean forward, fist her fingers into Kirara's fur, and bury her face. It wasn't like she was the one that needed to see where they were going. Kirara knew how to get back to the well. Kagome had no idea where they were, so she wouldn't have been a help with navigation anyway.

Still, even not knowing where she was, it would still have been a good idea to pay attention to where they were going.


	2. Chapter 2

Lounging on a river rock with a long blade of grass between his teeth, Kouga sighed with content. His eyes were closed, head nestled in his palms with his fingers laced together. He had one knee bent with his foot on the rock, the other hanging over the side in the water turning in a small, slow circle. He couldn't remember a time he was so relaxed. Not even after a night of passion had he felt quite like this. Though his life in general was rather hectic, no one would know if they saw him in this moment.

His thoughts, as had become normal, were on his little miko. He wondered briefly as to where she might be, but that thought quickly turned his focus to the half breed she, for whatever reason, was attached to. She was too good for the jackass on every level, but she hung around with the bastard out if some misplaced loyalty.

He couldn't give a fuck less what that mutt had to say on the matter, either. As far as he was concerned, the dog eared numb nuts was piss poor protection for Kagome on a good day, and down right worthless on others. If only he himself could figure out how to make Kagome see that, to understand just how useless the fucker was, maybe then she would see the light and walk away.

That was the crux of the issue at hand, however. Whatever reason Kagome had for sticking around had to be a doozy, because Kouga couldn't begin to see how she could possibly LIKE being spoken to in the way InuYasha speaks to her. He treats her like she's nothing more than a bitch, and not in the good, fun way either.

Cobalt blue orbs opened and looked up, watching the clouds move slowly across the sky, his tail tapping lightly against the rock he was laying on as he continued to get more agitated over the mutt's treatment of his woman. Oh, he knew far more than anyone thought about it. His wolves were everywhere, in every region of the island. He knew nearly every time he called her a worthless human or weak. He knew how horribly she was treated if she didn't do exactly what she was told when she was told to do it. He knew when he pissed her off and how. From his position, he couldn't figure out why it was she put up with him. If he treated a demon that way, or even another hanyou, he would have had his head knocked off by now.

That was the thing. He only did it because he knew he could get away with it. Literally anyone else would beat that bastard within an inch of his life, if not just deciding to take it all the way and kill the irritation. Even the other humans that paled around with them knew he took things too far, too often.

It was the reason Kouga never saw fit to open his mouth and really let his tongue fly. Sure, he enjoyed himself at the fucker''s expense as often as he could, but really, when it came to Kagome and talking her into leaving the asshole, it really wasn't necessary. Sooner or later, InuYasha would do something foolish enough to drive her away on his own. All Kouga had to do was sit back and wait for that moment, and then he would swoop in and finally get to claim his woman.

The sounds of padded feet heading his way made his ears twitch, but Kouga never moved from his position, simply shifted his eyes to the bank where his wolves would soon be breaking through the underbrush. There was a flash of annoyance in his eyes at knowing his peaceful afternoon was about to be disrupted, but when you're the one in charge, it tended to happen more often than he would like.

When he heard the sounds of growls with intermittent yips of excitement, one of Kouga's brows slowly crept up to meet his headband. 'What the hell has gotten into them?' He thought as he shifted and pushed himself up on his elbows. Nothing but food got the animals that fucking happy.

Finally breaking the tree line, two of the wolves ran to the river's edge, barking nonstop, and not in unison, causing Kouga to frown.

"Enough. One at time or none at all."

The two wolves silenced themselves and looked at each other for a short moment before the older of the two began barking, yipping, and growling at the wolf prince. Kouga sat there and listened, a slow smirk beginning to form on his lips at the report he was receiving. So, the mutt got caught with his pants down, did he? Oh, this was perfect. He couldn't have asked for a better fuck up on the idiot's part.

Now, all Kouga had to do was find Kagome before Dogboy did, and everything else would fall into place.

Climbing to his feet, he lept to the bank and instructed his underlings to fan out and find Kagome. He knew the human village that the shard hunters favored, where it was, and that it was too far from where they took off from for the neko to fly without a break.

 ***X***

Kagura sat on a branch high in a tree, watching the horizon, waiting for the little Miko her creator said would be coming right by her. There were only a hundred other places the wind witch would rather be than where she was, but with her heart in Naraku's grasp, she had very little choice.

She sighed and tapped her fan against her thigh as Naraku's words once again flew through her mind, telling her that he holds her life in his hands. She hated the bastard. She was the wind for Kami sake, something that was never meant to be controlled by any one person. But, if she ever wanted her freedom, she had to do as told for now. She was sure eventually Naraku would get his; she just had to be patient and wait for it.

Her orders were simple enough. All she had to do was knock the girl off the Slayer's cat's back and let her fall to her death. The insects that were also waiting in the trees with her were there to ensure the neko didn't interfere with the fall and if she did, she wouldn't live long enough to regret it.

Sighing again, Kagura's lips thinned as she pressed them tightly together. This was stupid, even Naraku had to know that. For two years now her creator had spent countless hours trying to kill this woman, sent countless low level demons to the their death, and every time, the little ningen came out the victor. There were powerful and immortal demons that had fallen at the hands of the kumo hanyou, but this little, tiny, mortal girl escaped death like she was a fucking Kami. Personally, she found the miko and her continued thwarting of Naraku's 'perfect plans' hysterical, and always got an internal chuckle at her hated master's expense.

She wasn't the only one either.

Many demons, hanyou, and humans alike, across the island found Kagome and her ability to live in the face of certain death amusing, whereas Naraku only continued to become angrier and more determined to destroy the miko. For the first year, Naraku had thought to kidnap her and somehow bring her to work for him. But, she was a fighter, and refused every advance that was made in favorable, nonviolent ways as well as holding her own against more forceful ones. She was very stubborn, that onna, and Kagura, in all her wistful musings, admired that.

It was with a twirl of her fan that the wind witch came to a decision. She would do as she was told, if only for overwhelming self-preservation, but she wouldn't do it in a way that would lead to the miko's untimely demise. Oh, she would certainly make it look like it, but she would ensure that the neko was close enough to the ground that the fall wouldn't leave a puddle.

Kagome was one of the few beings alive with the power to destroy Naraku and, being the self-serving person she was, Kagura would make sure the human lived through this so the little Miko could finally free her.


	3. Chapter 3

Kagome wasn't sure how long they had been in the air, but she could feel the way Kirara was starting to shudder every so often, a sign Kagome recognized as the neko was beginning to tire. Finally lifting her bloodshot eyes from the fur she was nestled in, the miko looked around and as far as she could see, a frown marring her face when she couldn't see the village, or the clearing that housed the well. She had no idea they were so far from Edo, but she knew Kirara needed to land, take a break, and catch her breath.

Patting the cat on the side of the neck, Kagome gently coached her to go ahead and land. Even though she wasn't sure where they were, or how much further they had to go, she did know they were far enough away from the group that Kirara could rest for as she needed and would still have time to be back in the air and on their way before InuYasha would be able to catch up to them.

By now, he had to have known she was gone, and she was also sure he was either in the process of being taken to task for his actions, or was on his way to find her after the fact. She wasn't ready to face him, though, and honestly, she wasn't sure she ever would be. Facing him meant facing her feelings and at the moment, they were so raw and frayed, she knew she wouldn't be able to look at him without breaking into tears again... or sitting him straight to hell.

She shook her head at the thought. No, she couldn't do that, no matter how much better it would make her feel. Honestly, what had he really done wrong? It wasn't like they were dating, or that InuYasha had ever shown any interest in being with her that way. To tell the truth, though she had made her feeling about him known, he never once returned the sentiment. Sure, he was protective of her, but she never knew just how little that had to do with her. She thought she had steeled herself against anything he could do to her, that she was ready for the day to come when he finally made his choice. She really had. But, how ready can you really be for walking down a path, minding your own business, and walk into seeing the man you loved in the arms of a walking flower pot?

Sliding off Kirara's back, Kagome settled herself into the soft grass of the small clearing Kirara landed in, watching as the the fire neko reverted back to her smaller form while she rested, her thoughts continuing down the less than pleasant path they were on. No matter how she wished she could just stop thinking about it, seeing the look of adoration and devotion in Yasha's eyes as he gazed back into the dull eyes of a dead woman, the images where relentless and refuse to leave her.

Seriously, how does a living, breathing person come in second place to someone that died fifty years ago and was brought back to life using the soil from her grave and some kami damned clay? For real? How the hell does this even happen? Dropping her head down to rest on her bent knees, tears once again sprung to her eyes and slid down her cheeks. Why did this have to hurt so bad? It wasn't like this was the first time InuYasha's choice of living status in his woman was revealed. Countless times he had run to her thinking no one knew, or that no one cared. Kagome tried not to, but no matter how much she said she just wanted him to be happy, she could be honest with herself, if no one else, that she wanted him to be happy with her.

Unfortunately for Kagome, she had a pulse.

Her body curling more into itself, a sob broke free, rocking Kagome to her core. If this is what it felt like to die, she wished it would just end already. It was absolutely torturous. Though Kirara was trying to offer some measure of comfort by putting her paw on Kagome's leg, it did little in the way of being effective.

But, she never said aloud what she saw, so how could anyone comfort her? Besides, she didn't want it. She knew if she was ever going to get over this and move on, she had to deal with this now and not let it fester in her heart like a sticky mold infecting a rotten fruit. She would survive this. No one really died because someone didn't love them back. Well, not from internal means anyway, and she wasn't so far gone in misery to do something she couldn't take back.

Reaching a hand out, she rubbed Kirara's head and tried to give her a smile, but it was weak and showed no true emotion. It was a reflex more than anything else. No one else should be upset just because she was.

As she was about to open her mouth to tell Kirara she was alright, or at least would be, a gust of wind blew through the clearing, hard enough to pull her hair at the root and make the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

Head turning skyward, Kagome scanned the air, looking for what she knew was there. It seemed Kirara could sense it too. The fire cat's body stiffened slightly before she jumped back from Kagome, trying and failing to once again shift into her larger form. She was far more tired than she thought and without her ability to increase in size or fly, Kirara wasn't what, if anything, she would be able to do to help Kagome.

On Kagome's end, she was giving herself a very hard mental ass whoopin' for running out of camp with nothing she should have. She left everything behind in her haste to get away from the area, leaving without even a single arrow. She wasn't sure where they were, or in which direction she should run for the best line of defense. Everything was going to come down to Kagura and just what kind of mood she was in. Kagome was well aware there were times when the incarnation wasn't in the mood to fight, and all she could really do at the moment was hope this was one of those times.

Climbing to her feet, the miko continued to scan the sky, the feeling of foreboding growing in her gut. She couldn't believe she was so stupid as to not grab anything of hers from camp before she took off. Hell, to that point, she couldn't believe she let herself get so upset over seeing Inuyasha with Kikyou that she took off like she did. It wasn't like this was the first time he did it. She really should have stayed closer and calmed down instead of trying to go home when they were, at closest, a week by foot from the well. Now, she was in the middle of no where, with no protection, no idea where they were, and it seemed Naraku found that out.

Just fucking perfect.

All Kagome could do when the wind witch appeared in her normal whirlwind entrance was gulp and take a half step back. This wasn't going to end well, the miko knew that much. However, there was still the chance Kagura wasn't going to put a lot of effort into this particular show, so there was a slim chance she would make it out of this alive.

Kagura stood with her fan against her cheek, her red eyes regarding the priestess before with contemplation. Already the plan Naraku had failed because the woman was on the , she was alone, as her master said she would be, with nothing but the tiny neko to defend herself. It would be easy pickin's for her to just kill the miko, but the truth still stood that Kagome was really the only one that would be able to destroy her hated master.

Knowing she would have to do something until a way out presented itself, Kagura resigned herself to what she knew she had to do.

Kagome watched as Kagura lifted her hand and opened her fan, readying herself for what she knew was coming. The only thing she had going for her was she had faced Kagura's dance of blades before and knew it was a lot like dodgeball. Don't get hit.

The part that sucked was, Kagome was never very good at dodgeball.

What played to her favor was Kagura wasn't out for blood, or at least not out for a lot, so her attacks had far less force than Kagome was used to, making it somewhat easy to dodge the blades of wind. Still, even with Kagura making taking it easy on her, it still wasn't childsplay to get out of the way when the recovery time was so small.

It was an act of tired desperation when Kagome picked up a stone. It wasn't exactly easy for her to use her riki like this, but with enough time and concentration, she was able to charge the stone with some of her holy energy and give herself some kind of weapon. However, had she fully thought the idea through, she would have figure out it was a bad one.

Seeing the pink projectile coming her way, Kougra huffed and shook her head. "Stupid human." Kagome watched as Kagura flicked her wrist and used her fan to bat the stone away from her and into the woods. Kagura gave the miko a flat look and shook her head. "Idiot. I was taking it easy on you so you could run away. But, no. You just had to go and attack in plan view of Naraku's insects. Now I have to actually retaliate, you moron." With another shake of her head, Kagura lifted her arm and with a glare at the miko, called her attack. "Dance of the Dragon."

Kagome looked to the sky as it got dark and gave a silent goodbye to her friends. She's seen this attack and knew she wasn't going to be getting out of the way of it. When she saw the tornados, Kagome tucked her chin and covered her head with her hands, a scream leaving her throat at the strength of the wind before the twisters were even upon her.

She felt herself get pelted with small stones and dirt before her stomach dropped to her feet and a deep voice bounced around in her ears.

"I gotcha."

Opening her eyes, she looked up at the familiar, tanned face of the wolf prince, her jaw lax and lips parted. "Kouga?"

With his woman pulled tightly to his side, Kouga kicked his legs hard, the action moving him around mid air and, after tightening his hold on Kagome's waist, he threw himself backward, turning a flip and landing outside the area of Kagura's attack. Setting Kagome on her feet, he smirked down at her, a brow raised. "The smart thing to do is not stand still for that."

Blinking at him, her mind still catching up with the fact she wasn't on her own anymore, she looked over at Kagura, an idea hitting her with the force of the one of the tornados. Shaking her head, she looked back up at Kouga. "Give me your sword."

Only glancing down but not really giving her any of his attention since there was still a threat present, Kouga astonished. "My sword?"

Growling out a huff, Kagome grabbed the weapon from Kouga's side and pulled it from his hip. She looked at the wind witch, who was regarding her with a curious expression, and closed her hands around the blade, forcing her riki into it like she did with the stone. When she thought it was strong enough, she held the handle towards Kouga and yelled above the howling wind. "Throw it!"

THAT got the wolf's attention. "Are you out of your fucking mind? That's purification energy."

"JUST DO IT!"

 _Females,_ He thought as he snarled at her. "Fine." Taking the hilt of the sword, Kouga growled low in his throat at the burn on his palm. Pointing the blade over his shoulder, he overhand threw the weapon as hard as he could, the energy in the blade acting much like one of Kagome's arrows and dispelling the wind in the clearing and catching Kagura enough off guard that the blade caught her in the arm, causing her to scream out and go on a full retreat, the sward embedding in a tree some distance into the treeline.

After the clearing was back to normal, Kagome sunk to her knees as Kouga clenched his fist and continued to growl deep in his throat from the lingering burn to his palm. Red and blue swirling eyes looked to where Kagura was just standing to her retreating form flying on her feather in the distance. His voice was deeper than Kagome had ever heard it when he spoke. "Neat trick."

Looking up at him from her place on the ground, Kagome gave him a tight lipped smile. "I figured, if it worked with a rock. You okay?"

Kouga opened his hand and looked at his burnt palm. "I'll be fine." Then he looked at her. "So, what are you doing by yourself all the way out here?"

Kagome looked away again, fighting back the tears that welled back up in her eyes. "I don't want to talk about it." Then she looked back up at him. "Can you come with me back to Edo? If she attacked once, she'll do it again."

Kouga scratched his head, and hummed. "Edo, huh? That's quite a hike from here, Kagome." When he saw a single tear break free and track down her cheek, and heard the whimpered 'please', he sighed and nodded. "Alright. But, we should get moving now if you want any ground made before night fall. Even if I run and carry you, it'll take a couple days to get there."


	4. Chapter 4

Leaning back against the side of the well back on her side of time, Kagome closed her eyes and once again was overtaken by tears. Sliding down, she sat on her heels and buried her face in her hands, giving herself over once again to heartbreak. She didn't want to. She wanted to do as she always did when she was in her time; forget about everything and just be a normal teenager.

Maybe she was. She had never experienced the pain she was feeling before, so for all she knew, this was exactly what she was supposed to be doing. If she considered all the movies she had seen with a woman who had her heart broken, they generally bawled their eyes out while eating ice cream and chocolate... or getting drunk. Since she doubted very much her mother would allow her to get into her grandfather's sakki, she would have to go with the former options.

Though normally she rushed to get out of the well, she took her time, giving herself a few moments to gather herself before she faced her family. It was after she was out of the well and stepping out of the well house she was frozen in place by an all too familiar feeling.

' _It can't be._ ' "Jewel Shards?"

Without thinking about it, she ran that direction, knowing nothing good would come from the feeling she had. Shards in her time meant something she couldn't bring herself to accept.

She was nearly to the steps leading down to the street when she came to a sliding stop, her eyes wide and jaw slack at what, or who rather, she saw standing at the top. In a position she would know anywhere, her hands came up and covered her mouth to muffle the gasp. "Kouga?"

Grinning wide enough for a fang to flash in the light of the sun, the ookami prince stood with his hands on his hips, the same cocky air about him that he always had. "Hey there, Kagome. Miss me?"

The human could not believe her eyes. This had to be a trick, a conjuring of her imagination. Youkai didn't exist in this time. They haven't existed in hundreds of years. Kagome tripped over her tongue, not able to form a full sentence in her shock.

Kouga just stood there, looking at the woman he's waited five hundred years to see again, looking just as he remembered her the day he saw her jump into the well. When she vanished without a trace, he had no idea what the fuck happened. He had stood there for a while trying to figure out where she went. When he saved her from Kagura, all she asked was if he could take her to the Bone Eater's Well, but never told him why.

He had tried to get her to tell him what the reason was over the two days it took him to get from where he found her to where she wanted to go, but all she did was say 'you'll see' and continued to cling to his back as he ran, saying very little when he stopped to rest himself and so she could attempt to sleep.

Attempt was the best word to describe it, too. She would lay on the ground, using a transformed Kirara as both a pillow and warmth in addition to the fire he built, but she never actually fell into anything that would be termed as sleep. She would drop off into doze, but that was about as far as it would go. When she was awake, before she climbed on his back again, they would engage in something like a conversation, but there were clearly off limit topics, so mostly it was small talk until she was alert enough to hang on tight enough to not fall off when he took off.

When they got to the well and he set her on her feet, she looked up at him for a short moment, looking in his eyes before she wrapped her arms around his waist. She hasn't given him a lot of reaction time before she pulled away and ran to the well. Before he could say a word, she jumped over the side and went in feet first, leaving behind the scent of tears and a whispered good-by.

He wasn't sure how much time passed before a withered woman came to the clearing, bow and arrow in hand. She questioned his presence, but he ignored her words, having a few questions of his own. When his inquired where Kagome went, the old woman has gazed at him for a long moment, nearly driving him to ask again. But, after a time debating with herself, she did eventually answer him.

To say he was stunned would be an understatement. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he believed her at first, but the more she spoke, the less he thought she was out of her fucking mind. He stayed silent as he digested the information, letting it sink in that the woman that held his heart was from a different time period and it would a very long time before he saw her again. When he frowned and asked how far away she was from, swallowing a whimper at the answer of 500 years... Give or take.

He would have called that that, designing to, and swearing he would, wait for time to catch up with the Miko had the woman not told him she would be back, that she always came back, normally within a few days, but rarely longer than a week.

With a new hope, Kouga stuck close to the well, though made sure he didn't piss off the villagers by proximity. But, she hadn't come back, much to the confusion of not just the old woman, but the people she spent so much time traveling with. They arrived nearly two weeks after he had since the Slayer's neko was with him and didn't head back to Sango so she was present to give Kagome a ride back to the pack.

Oh, the beating he gave InuYasha over his role in her leaving left the hanyou nearly unrecognizable, but it never lessened the morose feelings the wolf felt.

Though the last five centuries were rough and something close to hell for the demon race, there were some that survived, and Kouga was one of them. As he stood there now, looking at the Miko, he would totally say the horrors were worth it.

On Kagome's end, she was still stuck on a loop of 'what the fuck'. It took her nearly a full minute before she got over her shock and launched herself at the ookami prince, renewed tears welling up and tracking down her cheeks. Unlike last time, she didn't pull away before he had the chance to return her embrace. Instead, she soaked in the warmth and familiarity of his arms.

A couple minutes later, she pulled her head back to look up at him, but not stepping away from him. She smiled through her tears. "You're here." Though it was meant to be a question, it came out as a statement.

Kouga just looked back her, his signature cocky grin in place. "Where else would I be?"

Kagome shook her head, still not understanding how she was hugging one of her demon friends. As she was about to impart to him she didn't know demons were still around in this time, she remembered the feeling of sensing the shards in his legs, making her mind jump tracks and horror to overtake her features. "You have your jewel shards."

Kouga, not sure why that was a shock to her, blinked and spoke slow. "Yeah. Just over five hundred years now. You knew that."

It was then she pulled away from him, horror and panic coloring her face and tone. "No, you don't understand. You have jewel shards. Do you have any idea what that means?"

Lip curling in the corner, he lifted a shoulder. "That I'm still the fastest thing on two legs?" He, honestly, didn't see why she had such a problem with this. He'd had them longer than they knew each other, and she knew he had them.

Her head slowly shook back and forth, 'no' on a repeat as it spilled from her lips. When she went to tell him what him having shards meant, she stopped herself when she heard voices behind Kouga. Deciding this wasn't the place, she grabbed the wolf's wrist and gave it a tug to get him to follow her before she herself turned to her house.

Running as fast as she could, she threw the door open, dragging a very confused demon behind her, passing her even more confused family. She barely offered anything more than a hello to her mother, nearly falling on the steps when Kouga called 'hey, Mrs. H' as they passed the kitchen on the way to Kagome's room. She ignored that part though, having more important things to discuss than how Kouga knew her mother.

Yanking the beyond confused wolf in to her room, she slammed the door and whirled around, her eyes wild. "You're alive."

Kouga crossed his arms, his brow drawn. "Yeah."

Kagome slipped her fingers into her hair. "And you still have your shards."

Again, Kouga nodded. "Yes."

Closing her eyes, her voice dropped. "Do you have any idea what that means? The Shikon... It still exists. Naraku..."

Finally figuring out what she was freaking out about, Kouga cut her off. "Is dead." Only barely smothering the smirk at the shock on her face, he took a step closer to close the distance between them. "When you left, you had your shards of the jewel with you. When you didn't come back, completing the jewel was impossible. The old woman from the village by the well told me to lie low for a while, keeping my two safe and keeping the fucker from getting anymore.

"The dead bitch took up the task of finding the last few remaining shards that weren't accounted for. When that was done, it was only a matter of time before Naraku came to get them, but he didn't know we didn't have all the rest.

"It wasn't easy, and the loss of both human and demon life was astronomical, but with an army of mikos and extremely powerful demons working together, we were able to bring that asshole down."

Kagome blinked, her lips parted slightly as she digested that information. She was still wrapping her head around the fact Kouga, and now apparently other demons, were still alive, all she could do was stare at him as he recounted the past.

She was silent for a few moments before she started at the easiest point. "I never went back? I always go back. I have every intention of going back. I just... Need a few days. Why don't I go back?"

Kouga just shrugged. "Dunno. Your mom had the thought that because time there didn't stop, just like it didn't here, that maybe my memories are based on what will happen if you don't."

Setting her hands on her hips, Kagome gave him the stink eye. "Yeah, about that. Just how well do you know my mother?"

At that, Kouga grinned. "Mrs. H? Alright I guess. I mean, not really well, but kinda. I've been here a few times. I had no idea when you were from, so I had to guess. This was the first time I've been here the same time as you, though. Normally, you're back in the past, following along with what I remember."

Kagome shook her head. "She never told me."

He nodded. "We agreed it was best not to." At the cocked brow he got, he elaborated. "Before you first went to the past, you thought demons were a myth. Before I showed up the first time, you and your family then thought my kind was extinct. Your mother and I made a list of all the remaining ones I knew of on my first visit. Over the few months I've been coming back, waiting for the last time you came back through, that list has changed; every time. It kept getting shorter. I don't know why you don't go back again after this, but you don't. Trust me, I've waited for you to."

All Kagome could do with that last piece of information was blink. "You did?" When Kouga nodded, she swallowed hard. "Why?"

Taking the last step that put he and the miko chest to chest, Kouga lifted a hand and crooked a finger under Kagome's chin and tilted it back to look up at him. Giving her a fangy grin, he then chuckled quietly in his throat. "You already know that answer, Kagome. I've told you enough times. If I remember it, you certainly should."

She did. She just didn't think she could handle where he was going with his actions right now. So, instead of letting whatever was going happen continue, she took a step back and pulled her chin free, giving the now pouting wolf prince a sad smile. "It hasn't been five hundred years for me, Kouga. I'm still..." She didn't want to say 'in love with InuYasha', but not being sure what to put in its place, she let the unfinished sentence hang in the air and just hoped he understood. She was perfectly aware she never told him what happened when he took her to the well, painfully going out of her way to avoid telling him what happened. But, since time never stops, she was more than a little sure he had gotten the reason out of at least one person.

When it seemed he did, she jumped tracks. "If Naraku is dead, where's the rest of the jewel?"

It was as if the last two minutes never happened as Kouga got a shit eating grin on his face that set Kagome on edge. That look never boded well for her. In truth though, he couldn't wait for her reaction to this answer.

"Sesshoumaru has it."


	5. Chapter 5

She was going to die, and not just because of the blatant disregard for her human life Kouga had as he bobbed and weaved his way through traffic at breakneck speed on his damn motorcycle, but because she was about to come face to face with a being that has kept track of a jewel he hated more than humans for the last five hundred years.

She couldn't shake Kouga's off hand proclamation if she tried.

 _'Sesshoumaru has it.'_

That tiny little sentence was on repeat in her mind as Kouga continued to ignore every single traffic law in existence. If she were completely honest with herself, she would rather die in a fiery crash on Kouga's bike then she would to ever see this particular dog demon again. They were never, not even once, on the same side of the things, and she very much doubted that, after the recount of what happened in the past after she left, he wouldn't just kill her on sight for not coming back.

Despite Kouga's repeated assurance that the Western Lord had mellowed out substantially over the last fifty decades, Kagome was positive it couldn't possibly be that much as to just hand over the jewel in his possession and call it a day. She was convinced beyond all measure that she was going to die.

A fact Kouga found absolutely hysterical.

The way the wolf saw it, she would either believe him or she wouldn't when it came to the daiyoukai and his new found patience for humanity. While Kouga would venture as far as saying it was a necessity in this day in age when they were so outnumbered, it was sure to have more to do with the fact he learned long ago that humans weren't as stupid as the demon lord though. The humans as a whole were actually quite cunning and if you wanted to survive, it was best to play by their rules.

It had long since passed the time where demons were the superior race.

Luckily for some, magic did still exist, making it easier to blend in than it would be otherwise. For humanoids, like Kouga and Sesshoumaru, tattoos and body modification explained their unhideable traits, like Kouga's ears and Sesshoumaru's markings. Though both of them did possess charms to cover any demonic trait if necessary, Kouga's tail to name one.

Over the last few decades, all surviving demons found their niche in the new times. Some of them used skills they developed over the centuries to make their living, while others mostly continued to live as they always did, hidden from the humans.

For Kouga, he was still very much the prince and regional lord he always was, but regardless of his social standing, he still lived the more simplistic life he enjoyed. Unlike the Lord they were on their way to see, who still regarded station above all things, Kouga never really cared for his title. He no longer resided in a cave like he once did, but his home still didn't stand out and scream 'I'm important'. His property was huge in comparison to a lot of yards homans had, but that was mostly because he wanted the room to run with his wolves.

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, learned he could no longer force submission through brute force like he once had, but he was still very much a force to be reckoned with, just in a different way. Now, instead of bludgeoning his opponents on a battlefield, he did it in a board room. Masterfully at that. It had never failed to impress any of the remaining demons just how good at manipulation that son of a bitch was.

Though the past was pretty shity in the overall grand scheme, the present shaped out to be not too bad for any single one.

Kagome hadn't a single idea where Kouga was taking her, but when he left the city, she figured it would be a pretty long haul to where they were going. There wasn't really anything out this way before you got to the next town, so she allowed herself a decent amount of freak out time about seeing Sesshoumaru again before she switched thought tracks and focused more on the fact that, if Kouga and Sesshoumaru were alive, then others should be as well. She wasn't fully able to squash the hope InuYasha was among them, but she was able to ignore it for the most part.

Really, the one she was most interested in was her little kitsune. Shippo always laid heavy on her thoughts when she was in her time, knowing, or apparently think she knew, she would never see him again once the well no longer allowed her passage. She knew without doubt her humans friends were long since passed on, but there was always an inkling of hope the fox would somehow survive the centuries and she would see him again.

Without thinking about it, her grip tightened on the ookami's waist and her head settled on his shoulder blade. While she was still trepidatious about seeing Sesshoumaru again, she made the decision to not let herself worry about things before they happened. Maybe Kouga was right about the inu and him not taking her head upon arrival.

Besides, if he did, it would explain why she never went back to the past.

 ***X*X*X***

Kouga turned off the road onto a very long, windy driveway about a half hour after he left the city. Sure, it would have been faster to run, but that was the one thing he couldn't do in the city. Sure, he was fast, but not so fast that he wouldn't been seen. He knew Kagome was a little freaked out by the way he pushed his bike, but there were certainly other motives that drove him to go so fast. It wasn't like he was in any sort of hurry to see Sesshoumaru, he just wanted to give Kagome a reason to hold onto him as tightly as she was.

When he pulled up to the gate, he brought his hand to his mouth, biting the tip of one of the gloves on his hand, and pressed his thumb to the pad the gate keeper presented to him. Once he was waved through, it took it way slower as he drove the last hundred yards to the house itself. He could feel the way Kagome was looking around the estate through movement at his back and he knew the moment she saw the owner of the place because she tensed up and her muscles when on lock down. Rolling to a stop, Kouga put down the kickstand and cut the engine, but he didn't make any move to get off the bike. He just smirked at the amused inu lord that stood on the steps to his house.

Kagome, however, was frozen in place. She had seen that look on Sesshoumaru's face before and, not having any sort of good memories of him smirking, she couldn't bring herself to breathe, much less dismount the motorcycle. Sesshoumaru stood regal as ever, his head held high and hands clasped behind his back, no concealment in place so he looked literally just like the last time Kagome had seen him, other than being dressed in a very modern suit and tie instead of the white ensemble he used to wear. When a fang flashed as his smirk grew, Kagome gulped.

Sesshoumaru, allowing his smirk to grow to show his fangs, he kept his emotions out of his voice as he addressed her. "Miko."

A shudder ran the length of Kagome's spine as she stared at the teeth that had, at one point, been poised to eat her. Her voice was high and shaky. "Sesshoumaru."

Kouga, having had enough already of the game Sesshoumaru was playing, snorted and shook his head. "Oh, cut it out, ya asshole. Do you even know what it took me to get her to agree to come here? Knock it the hell off."

Sesshoumaru chuckled in his throat causing Kagome to nearly fall off the bike. Giving his head a shake, he regarded the wolf. "Such language for a lord to use, Kouga. Especially in the presence of a lady."

Pursing his lips, Kouga quipped back, "Fuck you, Dog", causing Sesshoumaru to outright laugh before turning on his heel and strolling into the manor, leaving a very confused miko and a very annoyed wolf in his wake. Shaking his head, Kouga then held a hand out to the female at his back for aid in getting off his bike so he could as well.

Kouga was only just putting his other foot on the ground when Kagome removed the helmet she was wearing and held it out for him to take. Looking at the open door a second, she looked back at the blue eyes that were looking at her. "I... um..."

Kouga just snorted. "Told ya he changed, and more than just his clothes."

She couldn't discount that in the slightest. She was sure he wasn't wrong when Kouga told her he was different than he was. She supposed in order to go undetected for so long, one would have to evolve with the times, but she didn't think the stick up his ass would have been removed to the point of allowing someone to talk to him like Kouga just did. Not only talk to him in such a way, but to actually laugh about it.

She was right back to being positive someone was about to die.

Once his helmet was put on the seat, Kouga set a hand on Kagome's back and gave her a light shove to get her feet moving. For as much as Sesshoumaru had changed, he still didn't like to be kept waiting. When she didn't move a muscle, Kouga then wrapped an arm around her waist and literally had to drag the protesting miko into the house, shutting the door behind them with his foot.

Once it was clear kouga wasn't going to let her change her mind about this, she sighed, resigning herself to being in a room with a demon that had actively tried to kill her numerous times, and let up on the amount of drag her feet had. Instead, she looked around as Kouga guided her through the house, taking in the many things she knew had to be from the original Western Shiero.

As they were climbing the stairs, a voice from below and behind them made Kagome stop short and look over the shoulder at the little green irritation.

"It's about time you came to face your error, you wretched human."

One eyebrow arched as the same headache she always got at his voice seemed to come back. "Watch it, toad. I do still have my Riki, and you still piss me off."

Kouga smirked at the now pale kappa. But, before he could say anything, someone else beat him to it. "Jaken." All eyes were now at the balcony overlooking the great hall and an unamused Sesshoumaru, but his eyes were on his retainer, a face Kagome would recognize anywhere, once again making her shudder and this time, take a step closer to Kouga. When he was sure Jaken gave him his full attention, Sesshoumaru imparted to him a very simple truth. "You have survived this long because you have kept your mouth shut. I suggest you continue to. I have no desire to once again rebuild my home because you angered the wrong being." A whimper sounded from the toad, but Sesshoumaru ignored him and turned to the couple on the stairs. "Come. I do believe, Miko, I have seen to your duty long enough."

Kagome nodded and, with one last glare at the toad, raced to follow after Sesshoumaru as he vanished into a room down the hall.

Stepping inside, she let her eyes roam the decorations on the walls, eyes stopping on the one that hung above the fireplace. It was Sesshoumaru, she guessed, in both humanoid and true form. Apparently she was staring at it longer than she thought, because Sesshoumaru chimed in behind her. "That is my father and myself before he died."

Blinking, Kagome snapped her head back around, eyes wide. "Seriously?" At his nod, she blinked again. "But, that was so long ago and you look exactly the same."

Sesshoumaru shrugged and went about something behind his desk, so Kagome looked to Kouga, who also shrugged. "We're demons, Kagome. We age differently than humans do. For the first decade or so, we age like you. Then, after that, it's about a year for us for every decade for you. Beyond that, if we live to our first century, it's about a year per every two. Physically, we don't change much past reaching maturity. Whatever we look like when we reach one hundred, we pretty much look like when we die. Half demons, because of their human blood, do eventually grow old, but it takes quite a while even for them. It's not unheard of for them to live for a few centuries. Most don't, but some do."

All Kagome could do was nod when he was done talking. She never really put a lot of thought into demonic aging, because up until a couple of years ago, she never knew they really existed. Now that she did, and knew some were even still around, she guessed knowing what it was like for an immortal to age was good to know.

Before she had a chance to ask anything of what happened to the one half breed in particular, she was pulled to the desk by Sesshoumaru setting a small safe on the top. She knew what that was, even without him opening it. She could feel the pull of her soul and had to brace herself for the on slot of evil energy that was going to bombard her from the Tama spending so much time tainted by the kumo-hanyou.

Once she was as ready for it as she could be, she walked the few feet to the desk and Sesshoumaru put in the code to unlock it. For as much as she thought she was ready for it, she grunted and turned a little green as her knees shook from the amount of leftover bad juju in the nearly completed jewel. Kouga was there to keep her on her feet, though, so when she knew she was able to stand, she shot him a grateful smile before reaching into the safe and pulling out the Shikon no Tama.

Closing her fist around it, she concentrated on her riki and sighed as she felt the evil leave and be replaced by purity. Opening her hand, she regarded the thing, seeing it nearly completed for the first time since it was broken, sans the seven shards she had in her possession and the two Kouga still had in his legs. Rolling it around her palm, she wondered what she was going to do with it. Once the remaining pieces were put into place, she was supposed to make an unselfish wish in order to free the miko inside and rid the world of the jewel once and for all.

However, as she was well aware, if she didn't have the shards, she couldn't return to the past and the people she had waiting for her.

Looking over at Kouga, she frowned, finally figuring out why it was she never returned to the past. There was no reason to now. Naraku was gone and she currently had possession of the jewel. Besides her friends, what reason was there to go back and possibly alter the timeline and make it to where this moment wouldn't happen? Sure, she could go back with the knowledge that some demons lived and know without a shadow of a doubt they would win in the long run, but that didn't change the fact her presence in the past changed it more every time she went back. Kouga and his list of known living demon dwindling down to nearly nothing proved that. If she did go back, how many more would be knocked off?

Her presence there did alter things, but she wasn't wholly sure anymore if it was for the better.

Then again, since she knew Naraku was going to be beaten, maybe her knowing who was left in this time could be changed to include ones that hadn't made it, or stop others that were on Kouga's original list to be put back on it. The original three page list was down to just over half a page now, and more than likely, the ones that were gone were already dead and her going back after the fact wouldn't change anything.

Sighing hard, Kagome took a seat, pulling out the jar that held her shards from around her neck, and set in on the desk, her head tilted to the side. Maybe she wouldn't put it back together just yet and give herself more time to figure this out. She knew she had to make the wish as soon as it was whole, but she didn't know anymore what that wish should be since the one she had always planned on using couldn't be. She also didn't know whether or not if she took his jewel back to the past and made the wish if it would even work since there would be two Shikons. That wasn't really a risk she wanted to take since she knew just how coveted the jewel was and just how far other demons would go to possess it.

In truth, the fucking Tama wasn't any better in this day than it was back in the warring era. Now, there were so many more horrors that the people of the past couldn't possibly have fathomed and if someone else, demon or human, got the Tama, it could end in just as big of a disaster as it would if Naraku had gotten the whole thing five hundred years ago, if not a bigger one.

Rubbing her temple, she continued to regard the stupid thing, saying nothing of her internal struggle. Briefly, her eyes glanced at Kouga's legs, but just as quickly returned to the nearly complete jem in her hand. Picking it up from her palm, she held it between two fingers and just looked at it, hoping the being within would have some sort of sign to tell her what to do. When it remained as silent as it always did, Kagome sighed again before slouching back in her seat, finally looking at the two demons that were looking back at her, waiting to see what she was going to do.

It was silent as a grave in Sesshoumaru's office until Kagome let out an audible huff and crossed her arms, the Tama closed in her hand. "I don't know what to do. It can't stay broken forever, but I don't know what to wish for that won't taint the fucking thing all over again." Opening her hand and looking at the lionshare of the jewel, a morose look marring her features, making her look far older than she was. The two demons both silently agreed she looked tired and over the entire ordeal with the Shikon.

In truth, she was. For four years now she had gone back and forth between the two time periods, completely losing whatever life she might have had when it was over and she never went back. It was only the grace of the Kami she made it out of school, but her grades were so bad, she knew that finding a job that would actually pay the bills was out of her reach. This jewel ruined her life and the lives of so many others, it was nearly unfathomable. So many souls perished because this thing was created, be it by pure intention or not, and there was nothing that could be done about it.

It sickened her that the pure heart of a miko was able to be used for the evil it was. The jewel was created to end a war, not start one, and that's exactly what it did.

With another harsh sigh, Kagome stood up and tucked the jewel in her hand into her pocket and put the jar of shards into the safe, closing and locking the lid, her eyes on Sesshoumaru's. "Until I know what to do, I can't have the whole jewel in one place. Kouga said there are more demons in this time and I can't risk them wanting to restart what you paid such a high price to finish. I'll keep the big piece and take it back to the shrine. Just... give me a couple of days to figure this out and I'll be back for those.

Sesshoumaru just nodded but Kouga grinned. "So, I get to keep mine?"

Giving the far too happy ookami a sidelong look, Kagome's voice was flat. "For now. I will need them eventually, though."

Kouga just grinned wider. "I'll take eventually." In truth, he was actually quite happy she decided to wait to do anything with the jewel. If nothing else, it meant he would be sure to see her again at least one more time.

Not really feeling the greatest about her decision, but knowing for now it was the best she could do, she finally looked back and forth between the two demons with her. She had so many questions for them, but had decided not to ask just yet. Their answers would most likely depend on whatever she decided to do anyway. If she did go back, what they told her now would probably change and she didn't want to get her hopes to high.

Instead, she asked Kouga to take her home. After a nod and assurance she would be back for the rest of the jewel, they showed themselves out, after one more threat to the toad.


	6. Chapter 6

The drive back to the shrine was as quiet as the drive to Sesshoumaru's manor, but it was far less tense. Kagome was once again lost in thought, but not so much that she didn't enjoy the feel of the wind as it rippled her shirt and pulled at the bottom of her hair that wasn't tucked in the helmet Kouga demanded she wear. He wasn't driving nearly as frighteningly as he was before, but he was still putting a little too much force on the gas, in her option.

For Kouga, he could feel the twisting of indecision in her aura as well as smelling the souring of her scent as her thoughts took her down the same path they took her back at Sesshoumaru's. So, he made the decision to not take her back home right away, but to a place where she might have a chance to work her thoughts out.

It was a half hour drive the opposite direction of The Sunset Shrine, but since Kagome has her eyes closed, she never noticed they were going the wrong way. When she felt the bike come to a stop and Kouga shift, she opened her eyes, blinking and picking her head up when she didn't see the expected long flight of steps. Reaching up, she slid the visor out of her way and gasped at the view she was seeing. She had lived in the city all her life and never knew there was so much wild acreage.

Though Kagome got off the bike. Kouga didn't. He stayed seated and just took his helmet when he was handed it. He has seen this view thousands of times, but this was the first where he wasn't alone. He had waited so long to share it with someone, but he hasn't wanted it just be anyone; he waited to share it with her.

He watched as she toed the edge of the cliff, still showing the lack of fear he had always found so endearing. Though it had provided him with a mini heart attack or two in the past, now with no present danger to distract him, he knew he could catch her before anything could happen to her.

From his place on his bike, he watched her facial expression change from wonder to something like disheartening, though he couldn't place the exact emotion. Still, he stayed silent and waited, figuring she would talk when she was ready.

It took her some time, but finally she took a seat and wrapped her arms around her shins. Though she didn't turn back to look at him, she did let him into her mind.

"I don't know what to do, Kouga. I know my presence in the past doesn't do the good I thought it did. I know by going back there I'll continue to be a contributing factor in the loss of so many lives. But, I have a responsibility to fix my mistake with the jewel. I can't just abandon that. But," It was then she looked over her shoulder. "If I complete the jewel in this time, I won't be able to cross back over again. I need a shard of the jewel to make the well work. Once the Jewel is whole again, there won't be one and I refuse to take another, full jewel, back to the past where it's already caused so much damage. Can you imagine what would happen if something happened and the whole jewel fell into the wrong hands? It's the same one. I can't imagine it wouldn't have the same power as the one already there."

Kouga listened to the words she said, then set the helmet on the tank and draped his arms over it, looking at her with a thoughtful expression. "Ya know, Kagome, anything you take with you to the past has the ability to mess with the timeline. I mean, time travel isn't really well known, but I would actually have to imagine that taking things to a time it doesn't belong would have a profound effect on something. Even the smallest thing would make the biggest impact and one you would never guess. If something small can change so much, something like a second jewel could turn out on the wrong side of fucked up. Hell, for all you know, the one you have on you right now could very well vanish because it's in a time not it's own, the echo effect, or whatever. Or, it could merge with the jewel in the past and leave us just as screwed as we already were. The choice is yours, Kagome. You're the only one that can make it."

With a sigh, Kagome scratched her head and dropped her chin to her knee as she pulled the jewel from her pocket, holding it out in front of her. Once again, she was left hoping it would give her the answers to her questions, but again, she knew it wouldn't.

After another few minutes of silence, she hummed as something struck her. "What do you do in this time? I mean, if you've been alive all this time, and in the city, I can't believe I've never crossed paths with you or sensed your shards before today."

At the question, Kouga grinned. "I don't live in the city. As a matter of fact, I go there at little as possible. But, I own a string of bars and nightclubs, something you wouldn't have been able to go to. I know you've seen the fox, though."

Whipping her head around, she stared at him, her mouth hanging open, unable to form a thought to that proclamation. Shippo was alive? And she's seen him? How did she not know that?

It was as if the wolf could read her mind since he chuckled. "He owns the magic shop downtown. He's the one that supplies the rest of us with our concealment illusions. Though, I don't think you've been in there since you were little, so chances are, you hadn't known him yet. However, even if you have seen him since then, you wouldn't recognize him. Because of his very furry appearance, his own illusion to fit in makes him look really different than you know him to. Hell, I've known the little furball for centuries and even I have a hard time picking him out of a crowd."

Kagome pursed her lips. "What about your auras? Can't you feel them?"

Kouga's grin morphed into a smirk. "Can you currently feel mine? Or, at any point this afternoon? Or Sesshoumaru's after he put on his ring?" When she blinked and shook her head, he pulled on chain that was around his neck, lifting a charm from under his shirt, showing Kagome his own illusion pendant. "They are designed by the wearer to cover our auras and anything we can't explain away. Mine only hides my tail, but others completely change their appearance. It's about personal preference. That, and the more the charm is made to do, the more often they need to be replaced. Since the magic needed to camouflage takes its toll on Shippo, and takes time to create, these fucking things cost a mint."

Tucking his charm back under his shirt, Kouga made a thoughtful face. "Since the places I own are normally darker when I'm there, and I don't have markings, I can get away with covering less than most. If people call me out on my ears, I say I had them modified. You wouldn't believe how many people have actually asked for the name of the surgeon. You humans are strange."

When he said that last sentence, it was with a weirded out look, causing Kagome to giggle. "It's been a thing for a while I guess. Humans turning themselves into animals is actually nothing all that new. It's just safer now."

Kouga snorted and gave her a flat look. "I know. Doesn't make it any less weird. I mean, we go out of our way to hide our animal appearance, and you humans go out of your way to look like one."

Kagome leaned back and smiled wide. "Humans from this time are far more fascinated with demons and other things we think are myths than the humans of the past that knew they weren't. I mean, a huge thing in America right now is vampires, both being one and wanting to be with one."

The corner of Kouga's lip curled. "Aren't vampires supposed to be reanimated corpses?" A shudder ran the length of his spine at Kagome's nod, the only thing coming to mind were the poor bastards that fell pray to Kagura's Dance of the Dead. "I don't see the allure."

All Kagome could do was laugh, having some idea what he thought of. Giving her head a shake, and smiling with a hum, she decided now was the time to find out what happened, what really happened, in the final battle with Naraku. So, steeling herself, she moved back from the edge of the cliff and got settled in before looking Kouga in the eyes. "What happened when I didn't come back?"

At the question, Kouga scratched the back of his neck. He was pretty sure she would eventually ask for details he hadn't given her back at her place, but that didn't mean he was all that ready to spill the beans. It had been a rough go, and having the dead bitch the mutt was so enthralled with along for the last leg of the ride didn't make it any more bearable. The walking abomination smelled to high fucking heaven, and no amount of space lessened the stench. But, without this miko, the dead one was the only choice they had.

As Kouga looked at her expectant eyes, he warred with himself about just how in depth he should go. He wasn't stupid, far from it. He was well aware that talking about the past would lead to the eventual question about what happened to the mutt but, even though the answer worked in his favor now, it was going to crush her more than she was the last time he saw her.

She was finally smiling. He didn't want to take that away from her.

So, instead of answering, he clucked his tongue. "Let's not get into that right now."

His answer actually brought Kagome up short. This was Kouga, the loud, boisterous, in your face, never beats around the bush, Kouga. He never dodge a question. More often than not, gave the most blunt and offensive answer there was. It must have been bad if he wouldn't tell her. "What don't you want me to know, Kouga?" There. Now he had to tell her what was going on.

For the wolf, he kinda saw that question coming, he just hoped it wouldn't. "What does it really matter? What happened, happened. You knowing isn't going to change it. You can't change it. Even if you went back right this second, it would still happen. Leave it alone, Kagome."

Biting her lip, Kagome stood and walked over to the bike, her brows drawn and eyes worried. "Kouga?"

Letting out a harsh breath, Kouga narrowed his eyes slightly. "Be honest. You don't want to know what happened with the spider. You wanna know what happened with InuYasha."

Kagome actually reared back at the proclamation. Had she said that? She didn't think she had. She wouldn't deny she was curious if he was still alive too, but she wanted to know what happened with Nataku because she wanted to add that into the equation as she debated what to do with the jewel. If there was something in the recount of events she KNEW she could change, she would put the jewel she had under lock down and take her shards back from Sesshoumaru and jump down the well to do just that.

When she told him as much, he snorted softly. "Inuyasha is, was, a halfbreed. They don't live as long as full blooded demons. They aren't immortal. I think I said this once. Inuyasha survived the fight, but he died of old age over a hundred years ago, his mate going back where she belonged shortly thereafter."

Kouga, watching her eyes as they widened at the term mate, he clicked the tip of a claw on the top of his helmet as he heard her heart skip a beat. Glancing to the sky before looking at his watch, he let out a long breath from his nose. "He's been mated for hours now back in the past. While I was saving you from the wind bitch, he was marking her."

Well, that was the Kouga she knew, blunt... as... always.

How she was able to keep the tears out of her eyes Kagome would never know. She just pressed her lips together, swallowed hard, and nodded before looking back at Kouga's deep blue eyes. "What happened with the spider?"

Kouga just gazed back for long moments, still debating on answering. But, when she nodded again, telling him she was fine with what was already said, he sighed again and launched into it.

"Once everyone converged in the clearing, We all agreed and gave you a little over a week to come back before allowing InuYasha to cross the portal and get you, to try and convince you to come back. But, when he tried, he couldn't get through. The old woman said it was likely because his connection to you was severed when he connected himself to the dead chick. After the ass whoopin' I gave him a couple days before that, he didn't even try and ask for one of my shards. I tried instead, but it didn't work.

"After that, there was near pandemonium with your friends. They also had a few choice words for the mutt about what he did, but it really fell on deaf ears. While they tried to figure out what they were going to do, I went to find Sesshoumaru. I knew there was no way we could do anything without him. I didn't tell him about the well thing, but I did tell him that you were gone, and with that fact, any chance of purifying the jewel or any shards that were recovered. Surprisingly enough, he was almost impressed when I was finished telling him what was going on, but I didn't ask what part was so impressive. It was horrible.

"While I was doing that, the humans, the mutt, and Kikyo were trying to come up with a plan of their own. They were hammering out the details when I showed back up with Sesshoumaru in tow. As you can imagine, that shit when over like a god damn led balloon. It was only after it was literally beaten into InuYasha's head that we needed the help, he backed down, but it was still seriously uncomfortable. It took us three days to come up with a plan of attack we thought would hold water, and we split up to set it into motion. I went North, Sesshoumaru went South, and the humans, InuYasha, and Kikyo scattered with the plan to meet back in the middle in two weeks time with who they were sent after.

"The forces gathered numbered in the thousands, standing shoulder to shoulder in the field outside Edo. All four of us regional lords and our armies, plus every holy being we could find that was willing to fight alongside demons. It was tense, but we managed. More and more mid level demons and other humans that heard what we were going to do filtered in slowly, and in the end, when we had everyone willing to face the spider, we set the last of the plan into motion. We drew the fucker out with the remaining shards we gathered, knowing he didn't know you had final pieces and he would never get his hands on them.

"The battle waged for three days, a large portion of the forces we gathered losing their lives in the process. I was pretty sure we were going to lose because of Kagura. She kept using our dead against us, forcing some of us to face off against others we have known nearly all our lives. Since she could control the wind, many of the attacks on her were also sent back to us, holy arrows taking out demons and demonic attacks taking out the holy.

"In the end, it came down to sheer pissed off emotions that gave us the victory. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, who almost went out of the their way to stay as far away from each other as they could ended up working together for the first time in their lives. The wind witch went to deflect a weak attack from InuYasha only to have no reaction time to defend against the fully on assault by Sesshoumaru. Once she was taken out, Kanna was next, leaving Naraku with pretty much nothing but lower level demons and those he had possessed with a jewel shard.

"Because the mutt had the ability to destroy Naraku's barrier, once the underlings were taken care of and we could focus completely on him, he didn't stand a chance. Seriously, he was sadly easy to take out once he had nothing to hide behind. Kikyo got the jewel, but when she couldn't rid it of the evil it held, Sesshoumaru demanded to take possession of it, stating he was the only one with the means to protect it until such a time it could finally be destroyed. Oh, the protest that followed that statement was something for the history books, but in the end, Sesshoumaru got his way. The jewel has been with him ever since... well, until today.

"Look, you can't stop that from happening. It takes us a month after the day you left to get rid of the spider. As much as you might want to interfere, if you do, it'll derail that and make it take longer, and more people and demons are going to die. You can't save us, and you aren't meant to. The spider is our fight, and always has been. Leave us to our fate, Kagome. For once, you have to." It was that statement that made Kouga's back snap straight and his eyes go wide before he dropped his head and let out a very undignified noise. "Mother fucker."

Up until the exclamation, Kagome was listening with wrapped attention, nodding to him when he gave her his final thoughts on the matter. But, when he made that noise, she jumped slightly. "What?"

Kouga shook his head, looking at her through his lashes, trying not to laugh. No, it's not her decision about what to do with the jewel that kept her from returning to him in the past. It was HIM. Crossing one arm over his chest, he covered his face with the other. "Nothing, just a point in time when things add up in way you didn't anticipate." Actually chuckling lightly, he dropped hand and grinned at her. "So, that's what happened. After everything was over, Sesshoumaru resurrected as many as he could, but it was still only a small fraction of the ones that were lost." Kouga nodded to the cliff, indicating for her to turn around and look back over the green and forest. "That's where it happened. That clearing you see, where there are no trees, is where Naraku was destroyed. The lush and green is from the bodies that were laid to rest in the field of battle. Everything you can see from this cliff is bathed in the blood and souls of that day. It's now a national park, but it was once the site of the deadliest battle in the country's history. I should know. I was there, and I've seen, and been in, a lot of wars since."

Nodding, Kagome sighed. "I don't feel right not saying good-bye. I have to at least do that."

Finally dismounting his bike, Kouga moved to stand right in front of her, setting on hand on her hip and with a crocked finger on his other hand, turned her face up to look at his. "You can't. I'm waiting for you at the well right this minute. When I leave, InuYasha and the other humans take my place. There is no way for you to go and get back without anyone seeing you and if you tell me, or them, what happens, it might not. You have to let time play out as it's meant to, Kagome. It might not FEEL right, but it IS."

Kagome finally let her eyes fill with the tears she was holding back. "So many people are going to die."

Kouga nodded. "Yeah, that's gonna happen. But they're gonna die regardless. The humans are going to lose their lives to their humanity no matter what, and the demons go out with a warrior's honor they wouldn't have otherwise, remembered for being part of the defeat of Naraku and not in some insignificant squabble that kills a number of demons, or the human that decides it's time to completely eradicate us between that time and this one. I can't let you change anymore of what's going to happen, and I'll do or say whatever I have to to keep you from going back. I've waited five hundred years to see you again, and if you go back, I might not make it this time."

At that statement, Kagome blinked, for the first time actually trying to think about what he might have had to endure in order to be standing here. Maybe he was right. He was such a cocky ass back then, and if she told him she saw him in the future, he might get overly so and not take the steps he took to survive through the demon purge or the two world wars that happen in the meantime. And Shippo might not either.

Though it broke her heart, she nodded and dropped her eyes, trying to bring herself to accept the fact she would never see her human friends again, or for that matter InuYasha. The latter wasn't as hard of a blow to take as she thought it would be, knowing he had completely made his choice before she even left the past in the first place. She hoped he was happy with what he did, but she knew she would never be okay with seeing it with her own eyes. It was bad enough seeing him about to kiss Kikyo, she didn't want to see, or hear, anything between them. But, what broke her heart was knowing there was no way to see Sango, Miroku, or Kiade again, the fact they were humans and it was a way beyond a human's life expectancy to live for over five hundred years. Especially when they were already considered middle aged when she met them.

Allowing her heart a moment to grieve the loss of her friends, she set her head against Kouga's chest and closed her eyes, soaking up all the strength she could when his arms wrapped around her.


	7. Chapter 7

Sitting in Kouga's living room, Kagome was laughing her ass off at a story he was telling her about something else that happened after she left the past. It had seemed she was right about Sango and Miroku having feeling for each other and, shortly after the defeat of Naraku, they decided to make it official and marry. Kouga told her about the wedding and Kagome had to work pretty hard at clamping down the feeling of jealousy she wasn't there for her friends on their special day, but what had her laughing was something that took place a few months later.

Sango was pregnant with their first child and Miroku was bursting at the seams about being a father. The two had gotten into a fight over baby names. It was something a lot of parents did and nothing that should have gotten so out of hand that Sango literally tried to kill him.

Kouga was sitting cross legged on the arm of the couch, a wide grin on his face and eyes bright with the mirth of the memory. "The day he showed up at the cave, I couldn't figure out why he had a bag with him. I stood there with nothing but confusion as he explained his presence and when he finally got to the reason he was in the mountains, his answer to me asking him why there, he said 'Sango can't climb the rocks.' I remember thinking well, what about the neko? But, I thought it was better not to tell him she didn't need to climb over shit if she wanted his head. And I shit you not, he had no sooner said that than the cat and slayer landed ten feet behind him, grabbed his sobbing ass by the ear, told him they weren't done talking, and drug him away like a misbehaving child throwing a fit over some damn ice cream."

Being able to picture that perfectly, Kagome was laughing so hard there were tears streaming down her face and she was having a hard time breathing. The antics of her human friends were something she already missed terribly and she didn't think they would ever change. Sure didn't sound like they did, anyway. Sango always had a temper and Kagome knew it would only grow if he got pregnant. She really wanted to see that for herself, but she had already agreed not to return to the past, so she just laughed in fondness.

Kouga just watched her as she seemed to come to life as her small giggles turned into full on laughter at the conclusion of his recount. He missed seeing her like this, happy and smiling. Over the past five centuries, there were many times he had nearly saw his own end, but he was able to avoid it, if only barely, and all so he could once again lay his eyes on the beauty before him. He was nothing if not dedicated to seeing Kagome again and even went as far as actually going under ground to avoid some of the worse events in history.

As he looked at her now, he knew it was all worth it.

They had spent nearly every day together since he showed up at the right time, and that was just over a week ago. In those eight days, she had again brought up the thought of going back, and he had again told her the same thing he told her on the cliff about what he was sure would happen if she did. However, he also told her that if she decided going back was what she wanted to do, he would be there to greet her and told her where to find him. There was still a couple of days left before InuYasha and her friends showed up at the well, and his past self was waiting there with an offer he hoped back then that she would take instead of returning to the group she had traveled with for the last four years. He was planning on offering to take over as protector for her and help her get the last the of shards so she wouldn't have to deal with the mutt.

However, since his memories hadn't changed to include seeing her again or anything like that, he knew she didn't return. He had started keeping journals of events from the past when he was told Kagome went home after he discovered the list of living demons that Mrs. H kept track of so he would know what else was affected. Since nothing else changed since he dropped her off at the well, he guessed she listened to him and refrained from returning. He was still a little miffed to find out it was his own fault she never returned to him, but as it stood, she was with him now and that was what mattered to him.

When she finally settled, Kouga tilted his head to the side. "Out of curiosity, have you ever tried sake?"

With a confused smile, Kagome cocked a brow. "The liquor?" At Kouga's nod, she lifted a shoulder. "Um, yeah. It was about a year ago back in the past when we stayed at this palace. I tried to turn it down, but human lords from that time were pretty pushy. It wasn't horrible, but being too young here, I never had it again after that. Why?"

Kouga nodded and hopped off the arm of the couch. "Because, I got this shipment from a supplier I never used before and being a demon, the human version doesn't really have a flavor to me and I need someone to taste it and tell me of it's any good, before I put it in the bar."

All Kagome could do was blink. "Don't you have staff to that for you? Like I said, I've only had it once and it was a long time ago. If I were you, I wouldn't take my word on something like that."

Kouga just shrugged and left the room, calling over his shoulder. "Trust me, I'll know by your reaction if it's good or not. You don't even have to swallow it."

Still not sure why he was asking her, she did take the small saucer when he handed it to her, being careful not to spill it on the leather couch she was sitting on. Her nose wrinkled when the very strong scent hit her nose when she brought the dish to her lips, she let the liquid slip into her mouth. Eyes going wide when the taste coated her tongue, she forgot to not ruin Kouga's couch and spit the foul tasting alcohol out, and all over the couch and floors. With her tongue still hanging out of her mouth, she wiped the dribble from her chin and looked at Kouga with pure disgust on her face. "Not a fan."

Kouga looked at her with slightly wide eyes before glancing down at the bottle in his hand, looking back at the splatter on his couch, floor, and Kagome's shirt, then finally back at Kagome, who had taken to trying to remove the taste from her tongue by repeatedly running her hands down the length. Taking backwards steps, he dropped the bottle into the waste basket and wrinkled his nose. "Guess I'll be giving that to Sesshoumaru for his clients."

Slowly turning her head, her hands mid swipe, she gave Kouga a horrified look. "Why would you do that to someone?"

Kouga just smirked and went to get her some water. "Believe me when I say, most of them do not deserve your sympathy. We're talking about life long assholes that deserve a little punishment." Walking back into the room and holding out the glass of salvation, he then crossed his arm when she took it. "These guys have no fucks to give about fucking with other people. However, they wouldn't dare spit out an offering from Sesshoumaru. They deserve it. Don't feel bad for them."

Her brow drew down and her lips pursed. ' _What about feeling bad for myself? That was mean.'_ Looking up at Kouga with an annoyed look, "Something tells me you did that on purpose."

Kouga just grinned wider, a look of innocence Kagome didn't buy in the slightest. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

A shadow passed over Kagome's eyes as a wide grin spread across her lips. Standing from her spot, she slowly sauntered over to Kouga, the wolf's lip curling in the corner in the face of something that sent a tremor of trepidation up his spine.

He began to back away and when he heard his name in a sweet, sing-song voice, he gulped before he turned tail and bolted from the living room towards the kitchen, Kagome hot on his heels. He rounded the island in his kitchen, but Kagome didn't. She pivoted on her toes and darted after him again, diving at his back when he was once again over the padding of the carpeted living room floor, tackling him to the ground.

When he felt the pressure leave his back, Kouga rolled over to look at her, and she was ready. She pounced on him again, straddling his stomach and pinning his arms to the ground by his head, a shit eating grin on her face. She leaned up and over him, her nose nearly touching his. Giggling, Kagome slowly moved her hands down his arms and, when she reached where she wanted, his ribs, she said 'Gotcha', and dug her nails into his skin making Kouga squirm as she started to tickle him.

One thing Kouga hated, pretty much more than anything, was being tickled. He despised the fact he was even ticklish, and he was so much so, this particular game normally ended in bloodshed. This time, though, he actually had to be careful not to hurt the person that was mean enough to actually tickle him. He was actually surprised though, as he thrashed around on the floor trying to get away from her without hurting her, she was so easily able follow his movements.

He let her have her fun for all of about a minute before he turned the tables on her. Since his arms were free, he lifted one and grabbed the back of her head and pulled her down, capturing her lips with his. He had just hoped to catch her enough off guard to get free, but when she didn't pull away like he thought she would, and instead seemed to melt against him, he changed his plans and instead just went with it. Though he prepared himself to be told to stop at anytime, he rolled them over so he was perched above her, nipping at her bottom lip.

He had fantasized for centuries what she would taste like and he hadn't even come close. When she parted her lips, she mound in her throat, the sound going straight to his dick. When her flavor exploded on his palot, he couldn't bite back the growl if he tried. He had always thought she would taste like her scent, something crisp, but she the exact opposite and the flavor of strawberries and wine coated his tongue as it danced with hers.

Kagome was like a woman possessed. She had never thought she would be here, in this position, with this demon, but she would be damned if she let it stop. The slight weight of Kouga's body as it pressed against her, the taste of his kiss, it was all too much for her and she wasn't sure what she was supposed to be doing. Though she didn't, her body did. Her arm wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer and her legs went around his waist to pull her closer to him.

When Kouga rolled his hips against hers, she broke their kiss, her head falling back with with a gasp and Kouga took advantage of her exposed neck, attacking it like a starving man as one of his hands slowly slid down her side, the other keeping his full weight off the woman below him.

 *****Chapter cut for content*****


	8. Chapter 8

The next afternoon found Kagome seated beneath the God's Tree, the nearly full jewel in one hand and the jar of shards she had retrieved from Sesshoumaru earlier in the day in the other.

She had spent about an hour in his office, hearing his version of the war Kouga told her of overlooking the forest the battlefield turned into. She had been shocked to find out Sesshoumaru himself was the one that owned the land, and had turned into a sort of memorial to those that fought so valiantly. There was very little wilderness left on the island, and it had been his thought to preserve the turning point of history in his mind.

She had also talked to him about the wish and how she was having such a hard time trying to figure out what to do that wouldn't benefit her in someway, and taint the jewel the demon lord spent so much time keeping out of the hands of someone that would do just that. She didn't want him to have done something like that for all that time only to hand it over to her and she go and fuck up and make him essentially waste his time.

She hadn't thought he would be of any help, but he actually gave her the missing piece of her thoughts when he told her there was a difference between wishing for something to benefit you, and indirectly benefitting from something. He told her to stop thinking so hard about it and focus on what would be the purest thing she could do. What could she wish for that would help the most people, and affect her the in the least, or even in a negative way.

' _It's not selfish to benefit from a wish, Miko. That's what a wish is, a benefit. It's selfish to think of only yourself when making one you know will come true, and ensuring you get something good out it. You must remember the Shikon no Tama was born from the purest soul. You must think as though you are her, and what she would have wanted her power to accomplish had she not locked herself inside the jewel to began with. She is waiting for you to help her win a battle that has been waging longer than even I have been alive. She needs you to be the unselfish person you are by nature, and end her long fought war. You have the power to choose the winning side, so you must choose wisely.'_

That conversation and desperately sought after advice was what found her sitting on the ground under the massive tree waiting for Kouga to arrive so she could obtain his shards of the jewel. She didn't expect him for another few hours, though. When she called and asked him for them, he agreed, but said he was going to go for a shard enhanced run for the last time, first.

She didn't mind. It gave her enough time to come to terms with what she decided to do.

Over the past week, anytime she wasn't with Kouga, she spent alone, thinking about everything and from every angle she could, trying to figure out if she was about to do the right thing. She had thought back to the beginning, to when she knew the jewel was created and tried to figure out if wishing the Tama was never made was the best course, but quickly decided that wasn't the wish she needed to make. The jewel was created to end a war, to stop those overly powerful demons from killing Midoriko outright, and then descending on the land with no one left powerful enough to stop them. Keeping her from doing that would change everything, and demons worse than Naraku would have ran rampant through the country, and probably beyond.

So, once she moved on from that, she then thought about the other end of the same spectrum, and just wishing the Tama from existence. She couldn't really do that either, though, because that would make her much like Kikyo in the sense it was her responsibility to protect the jewel from those that would use it's power for evil, and though it wouldn't have been Kagome's desire to wish it away just so she didn't have to guard it anymore, it could be seen that way, thus tainting the jewel and making this pointless.

It was when she thought of Kikyo her thoughts turned to InuYasha. She tried so hard to not let her mind go down that path, but it was unavoidable. She knew he never truly loved her, only protected her because she resembled his dead love and she could find the shards of the jewel. She knew that even before she heard him say it, and it broke her heart all over again. She never took the time to consider her feelings for him could have only been because her soul was the same that loved the hanyou, and not because she actually did. It was far too painful of a thought train to go far enough down to draw that conclusion.

But, when she thought about it now, and of the two of them, and the life they had envisioned together, her thoughts automatically went to Naraku or, more specifically, Onigumo, the human Naraku was born from. It was his selfishness to have Kikyo that started the whole mess between InuYasha and the miko and everything that followed. Naraku wanted to be a full demon, not the kumo hanyou he was, and he used the love of two beings to his advantage to obtain that. Had Onigumo, however, not given his soul to the demons so he could move and no longer be burned and disfigured, and became Naraku in the first place, nothing that followed would have happened.

Kikyo wouldn't have burned the jewel with her body and Kagome wouldn't have been born with it in her's, because Kikyo wouldn't have died. InuYasha wouldn't have been stuck to a tree for fifty years and Kagome never would have freed him from the trunk to stop Mistress Centipede, because Inuyasha had agreed to give up what he wanted most in the world, to be a full demon, and instead wish to become human. Had Onigumo never met Kikyo, the past would never have been overtaken by shards of a broken jewel because it would have been purified and no longer existed.

Everything bad that happened, everything that involved Naraku, could be traced to that moment in time... and that was where Kagome decided was the point in time she was going to focus.

She would lose everything, but others would be kept from suffering due to mistakes by her and others.

Sango wouldn't lose her whole family.

Miroku's family would never be cursed with the wind tunnel.

Shippo would never lose his parents to the shard enhanced Thunder Brothers.

Kagura would never know anything but the wind she came from and wanted more than anything to return to.

Kanna would never be pulled from the void of lost souls and used for a purpose she was never intended.

Onigumo would never deal with whatever accident left him in that cave to be taken care of by Kikyo.

Kikyo wouldn't die before her time and InuYasha would never know the deep seeded betrayal he faced.

Countless humans wouldn't lose their lives in a war they had no part in.

The demons wouldn't be used in someone else's sinister plots.

And Kouga would never lose his comrades to Kagura.

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt at the thought of the wolf prince. What had she been thinking when she gave in to desire? Was she seriously so fucked up, so starved for affection, she would do something like that without thinking about the fact that once she made her wish, he would be gone from her life and she would never see him again? Her face heated up when memories of their night together flashed before her eyes. The things that man did made her literally purr like she was damn cat, and in that moment, she had to admit, to at least herself, she was stupid. For so long she ignored him and his advances, no matter how much she secretly adored them, for a guy that never even liked her, that only wanted her for what she could do. Sure, Kouga had said a few times her shard hunting abilities were one of the reasons he wanted her as his woman, but everyone but InuYasha knew he was fucking around to get a rise out of her and to piss off InuYasha.

And hell, even if that had been true at the start when they first met, Kouga had proven over the time in the past that had changed and he wanted her, for her. He even reiterated that fact, more than once, since she discovered he was still alive in her time.

He waited for her. He told her if she didn't believe him, to go back, just go back, and said he was in a tree to the south of the well, hanging out with Kiade, waiting for her to come back. She could do so at any time of her choosing for ten days and he would be there to greet her with a grin and an offer. He wouldn't tell her what that was, much to her annoyance, but for whatever reason, she completely believed him. The only thing that stopped her from doing so was Kouga's own adamant words that she not return when they were on the cliff. Though she was curious why he would tell her to check his words if she wanted after he told her to not return, she chalked it up to him simply giving her a way to test him and his feelings.

She didn't have to, though. He never gave her a reason to doubt him or anything he said. If anything, he was the one person that never once lied to her about anything. He was blunt as they came. Lying truly seeming beneath him.

It was with a harsh huff and sheer force of will she got her mind off the ookami and back on the train of thought she needed to focus on.

Stopping one event would literally change everything, and she hoped for the better.

As for Kagome, she was going to try to ensure she benefited as little as possible. If she could, she would make sure that the life she currently had wasn't altered as well, leaving her with a shitty high school transcript, and everyone thinking she was a walking infectious disease. The way she saw it, she was owed some form of punishment for her part in what happened after the jewel was shattered.

Kagome was so lost in thought, she didn't notice when a body took up residence next to her on the ground, so she jumped slightly when she felt someone bump her shoulder. Blinking herself back into her body, she looked over at Kouga, taking in his normal, cocky grin and bright blue eyes. Nevermind what happened between them the day before, he really was a great friend and she was going to miss him.

Letting out a sigh, she licked her lips and bit the bottom one, not sure what to say to him at the moment. She knew she couldn't tell him what she was planning to do. She knew he would try to stop her, or at least try and talk her out of it, two things she couldn't let happen.

On Kouga's end, he had an overwhelming feeling of foreboding and hadn't been able to shake it since he woke up that morning. He had been on edge and didn't know why until he got the call from Kagome asking for his shards. It was then he figured out what the problem was... she had made her choice. While he had told her he would be there after one last run, what he was really did was sitting in his living room, staring at the spot the lines of their relationship blurred and changed, where desire gave way to passion and relived it like some kind of sex crazed teenager.

He hadn't told her what he did, not really thinking about. He hadn't planned on it, nor had he really meant to do it. It was something that happened when he wasn't fully in control of his beastal side, his feelings for her taking over and diving his actions and driving his fangs into her shoulder. He knew it wasn't a pleasant feeling. He had been bitten enough times over the years, but she had barely even flinched. It wasn't like it came out of left field, he warned her before they started there was a possibility of his loss of control and she didn't stop him. However, that didn't necessarily make the marking right. She would never know unless another demon said something, but with the way her voice sounded on the phone, he was pretty sure her decision on the wish was going to make that very, very unlikely.

He looked down at her as he sat next to her, looking at the puncture marks on her shoulder, fighting everything in him against giving it a nuzzle and a lick. When she looked up at him, he decided then he would tell her of the mark, but when she went to opens her to speak first, he waited. However, she didn't actually say anything. Instead, she just held her hand out for his shards, smiling at him when he handed them over. He watched her aura flare up in a flash of pink and when she opened her hand, in her palm, laid the purified shards he had had for long.

She stopped then, looking at the jewel and the fragments in her hands. All that time and pain to finally come to an end should have made her happy, should have brought with it a sense of accomplishment for finally ending the torment of the Shikon. However, all it did was make her heart hurt because she knew this would be the last time she was ever truly happy.

A sardonic look came to her lips at the thought. Demons made her happy. What an odd thing to happen to a miko. Still, this is what she knew was right. It was why she never went to see Shippo. She knew if she saw him it would break her resolve to actually follow through with this.

However, that didn't stop her from leaning into Kouga's side and once again taking the affection the wolf demon never denied her. She sighed and closed her eyes when his voice quietly caressed her ears.

"You're saying goodbye, aren't you, Kagome?"

A tear broke free of her eye and she swallowed hard. "Maybe, maybe not. It'll be up to the Kami, and you, I suppose. How many different pasts did you survive to be here?" Opening her eyes, she looked at the jewel she just fused back together, watching the glow as it began to grow. Picking her head up, she looked up at Kouga and hummed. "What is the name of your bar?"

Kouga blinked at the question, hoping for something just a little different as the topic of what he was now sure was their last conversation. Still he answered. "The Wolf's Den." As he too saw the aura of the jewel begin to expand beyond the sphere in Kagome's hand.

Not saying a word, knowing nothing he said would soon matter, he took Kagome's chin in his palm and turned her to face him. There was a half a second debate on what he should do with the last few moments he had with her, whether he should use it to tell her she now carried his mark or not, but when the heat of purity began to grow hotter, he capturing her lips in a searing kiss instead, pouring every last ounce of his feelings and passion for her into it. He felt her quick intake of air, but she didn't pull away, but instead seemed to melt more into his side.

It was like everything made sense in life, like this is what he lived so long to find. The kicker was he as soon as he found it, he was losing it.

He withstood the burn of the holy power from the jewel for as long as he could, not wanting their final moment to end, but it soon reached the point he felt like he was about to burst into flames himself. Having no other choice, he ripped away from the human he loved, leaping away from the barrier of holy energy with a snarl.

He stood there and stared, his eyes red from the exposure to such extensive purification powers, looking at the sad face of his miko as she was engulfed by a pink barrier. He held his arm up and squinted his eyes against the brightness, his heart cracking and stomach clenching when he was able to see her no longer.

For Kagome, every nerve in her body was on fire, sparked by the feel of Kouga's lips when he kissed her. Suddenly, she was again torn about what she just did, but she absolutely knew this was the right wish.

She stood when she could see nothing but a pink fog, knowing this was it. She turned on her spot, looking for who she could feel was with her. She called out when she didn't see anyone, whirling around when there was a voice behind her. She stood staring at Midoriko, her brow drawn and her bottom lip between her teeth. It took her a moment, but her resolved was back at full force, no doubts or questions left in her heart.

Midoriko looked softly at the miko before her, seeing her heart and hearing its wish. Forcing the onna to look her in the eye, her voice was soft but strong, hoping to impart to her just what was going to happen and hoping she understood the implications and exactly what she meant. "You are sure you wish to do this? Once done, it cannot be changed. Should anyone you know make it back to your modern era, they will forget you while you suffer in silence and remember them. You will remain as you are right this moment, carrying everything you do, as well as the outside effects of these past years. Also, know I cannot say they will once again survive the demon purge." Though the Miko from the Past said 'they', the marks on the futuristic Miko's shoulder told her she should have said 'he'.

Squaring her shoulders, accepting the terms, Kagome nodded. "I am. I wish Onigumo never suffered the injury that caused him to meet Kikyo, thus preventing him from birthing Naraku."

A smile graced the lips of the warrior miko as she gazed at her modern counterpart. Pride filled her as Kagome consented to giving up all she already lost, and a future with a demon her heart so yearned for, in order to free the past from the horrors of the Jewel of Four Souls. Her movements were graceful as she walked up to the futuristic miko and placed her hands on Kagome's shoulders and her lips to her forehead.

"Your wish will be granted, Miko from the Future. Wishing well a man with a dark heart and evil soul is a feat not many would do. You do your lineage proud this day, Kagome."

Kagome looked at Midoriko, a sad smile on her face. "Even the most evil deserve a second chance to do the right thing."

Smile growing, Midoriko nodded her agreement as she began to fade away, finally set free of her long waged battle. "Yes, they do. Maybe this time Onigumo will see the light before he is fully consumed by the darkness in his heart. I hear near death experiences have a tendency to change even the most corrupt." All Kagome wanted was he didn't actually suffer the accident that left him burnt and immobile. She didn't ask for him to avoid the circumstance.

Before she vanished completely, Midoriko pressed her lips together to smother a chuckle as she looked at the miko before her. Should whoever that bite mark belongs to survive and, should she cross his path, the Warrior Miko knew Kagome was going to have some serious explaining to do. She wasn't even fully sure Kagome knew it was there, or what it was if she did. However, Midoriko truly hoped, for Kagome's sake, as well as the demon that marked her, they did have a second chance.

If nothing else, Kagome earned that opportunity.


	9. Chapter 9

*****A/N*****

 **Okay, so this is where the story starts to get entertaining. There is ALWAYS a method to my madness, and I like to keep it interesting. These Characters are certainly in for some fuckary, Kouga more than anyone.**

 **Now, for posting. I have up to chapter 13 uploaded and ready to go, and I am working on the last two chapters now, and will have them done by sometime today. So, that means, once I finish those, I'll be mass posting every chapter and marking it complete. While I'm working on those, I will post a new chapter every hour until it's done. Sound like a deal?**

 **Anyways, that's it from me.**

 **Enjoy**

 **~Kouga's Eternal.**

 _Nine months later..._

 _Kagome's 20th birthday._

Excitement bubbled in Kagome's gut as she and her friends sat in the back seat of the limo on their way across the city to where they were all now old enough to go. Kagome being the youngest, they were going to the newest and hottest club in the city to celebrate her finally reaching legal drinking age. She had spent all day doing the normal running around one does on their birthday, like renewing her driver's licence with her proper age on it, the plate on her car. She had lunch with her mother and dinner with her friends as they were on their way to the club. But, mostly, she spent the day looking for the perfect outfit for the night. She had to look perfect, there was no other choice.

They were going to Kouga's newest establishment.

It had taken her over seven months after her wish was granted to find out if any of her demon friends made it to the present. She had gone out to where Sesshoumaru lived, but the manor was gone, leaving her heart broken, thinking the worst and no one survived. Two months ago however, she was watching the news and a face she would know anywhere, with or without an illusion charm, was plastered on the screen, his unforgettable cocky ass grin set in place as he talked about the opening of 'The Cave' in downtown Tokyo, sister club to 'The Wolf's Den' in Osaka.

Ever since, she had tried to get reservations for a night, but there were no openings available for months, and she was told short of knowing the owner, she would have to take her chances with waiting in line. So much did she want to tell the lady on the phone she did know Kouga, but she swallowed it and thanked the woman for her help.

She knew him, but he no longer knew her.

Then, two days ago, her friends presented her with the voucher for a party of four at The Cave on her birthday. They had to jump through hoops, and Eri had to do some extra work for her boss for him to agree to put in the favor with the owner of the club to get the reservation on the night they wanted it. But, her boss came through as he said he would, and presented Eri with the voucher. But, not just any kind of voucher. Oh no, it was the 'golden ticket', as the guy called it, but most people referred to it as a VIP pass. It meant no cover, a free bottle of champagne, free shots, and a private lounge far enough away from the dance floor where you could actually hear your friends talk. Eri's boss also told her he made sure Kouga knew they were there to celebrate a newly legal young lady, and he was told to pass on to the birthday girl it would be a night she never forgot, or wished she could remember.

Kagome was hoping for the former. She didn't hold any sort of disillusions about what might happen when they saw each other again, but she at least hoped they had a little time to talk and give her the chance to spark up another friendship between them. Besides, without her presence in the past to redirect his attention, she was absolutely positive he kept his word to Ayame and was long since, and hopefully happily, mated.

So far, it was exactly like she was told. The limo they were in was sent by Eri's boss. It wasn't really a secret that the thirty something was sweet on Eri, but she refused to fall for the glamour the man tried to shower on her to wear her down. She's told him a hundred times if they started dating she would quit to avoid talking at the office, but he refused to allow her to leave because he said he would never be able to replace her. It was a catch 22 for them as far as a relationship, but she didn't turn down the offer to use his driver because then, if they got too drunk, they wouldn't have to worry about either driving home or depending on a cab driver in a not necessarily nice part of the city. It wasn't as bad as it used to be, but the area of downtown the club was in did have a bit of an old reputation it still hadn't kicked.

The girls took full advantage of the fact they were in a limo, too. They got into the mini fridge and toasted to Kagome's birthday with the bottle of wine that was inside. They talked and laughed as the driver made his way to the club. When he pulled up to the curb, there was a private security guard waiting for them so he could escort the party to their lounge. He was rather on the attractive side, in Kagome's friends' opinion, and they wasted no time pointing out the birthday girl, causing the guard to smirk at the blushing Miko.

With a 'right this way', the still smirking guard led the four girls though the front door, much to the irritation of the people in line, and then through the still light crowd. As far as nightclubs go, it was still pretty early in the evening, but the girls wanted some time to enjoy the place before it got crazy. Since they were given a VIP pass, they were guaranteed to have a lounge from the time the doors opened, till the time the doors closed.

The guard left them when they reached the curtain that closed off their room for the night, and Eri handed over the voucher when it was asked for. The lounge attendant blinked at the VIP on the paper and bowed low, telling them she would return immediately with their champagne and apologizing quickly the room wasn't properly set up already. The girls tried to tell her it wasn't a big deal, but the way she looked when she scurried off to the bar and quickly tried to get the bartender's attention, they assumed for the attendant, it was a very big deal.

Instead of dwelling on it, the girls stepped inside, all of them gasping at the sight of where they would be spending their evening. It was beautiful. There were large, over stuffed pillows on the floor instead of chairs or a couch, and sheer curtains hung from the ceiling and belled out under the light, the color taking on whatever curtain was there instead of a too harsh or too dim bulb. There was a long, low table set along the back wall that had an arrangement of fruits and cheeses as well as an ice sculpture with a spout. After a quick investigation, it was determined to be cherry flavored vodka.

It was literally something out of a dream.

Deciding they were just going to relax as they waited for the attendant to return, they all chose a pillow and arranged them just so, so they were sitting together, but each still had a bit of space.

They had just worked up enough bravado to do a shot from the sculpture when there was a ding from overhead, making the girls look around, wondering what that was. None of them thought to look to the exit, however, until there was a deep chuckle and a 'bottle service', from the outside in a voice that sent Kagome's heart into overdrive.

The other girls still remained silent, so Kagome called out for the voice to come in, praying she was right about who she thought it was, yet at the same time, almost hoping it wasn't. She had truly wanted him to have survived the centuries, and was overjoyed he did, but once she was actually faced with seeing him again, she was no longer sure she was ready to see if it was the demon she knew, or just someone that looked like him.

When the voice sent her heart flying, the distinctive blue orbs that looked into the room before entering completely made it stop. All doubt this wasn't the Kouga she knew went out the window when she saw the color of his eyes. No human alive had eyes that color, and they couldn't. Sure, there were blue eyed humans, but that particular color was nearly as inhuman as the gold color of a certain other demon she knew to also still be alive.

Kouga pulled the curtain back with a tray balanced on one hand, a grin on his face. But, he didn't make it two steps into the lounge before he was smacked in the face with the absolute literal last thing he ever thought he would. Slowly, his eyes, crinkled at the corners, moved from one onna to the next, his lips pressing together. He knew what he was looking for, but having no fucking clue why he was looking for it. He knew he had never seen any of these girls before, not even in a drunken stupor, yet one of them, and he wasn't sure which one it was, was carrying his mark.

However, since at the moment all of them had their shoulders covered with a jacket or shawl of some kind, unless he got closer, he wouldn't be able to figure out which one it was. So, instead of making a scene and beginning to formulate a plan to find out which ningine was bitten, he plastered his normal smirk on his face and continued into the room.

"So, which one of you is the birthday girl?"

Kagome gulped, and all three of her friends, oblivious to the shock and irritation that was just written all over the Kouga's face, pointed right at her. Actually, she wasn't sure whether they didn't see it, or if they just didn't care, but with the gleams in their eyes as they looked at her when the really, really attractive man did, she was willing to go out on a limb and say it was latter. Hell, it wasn't like this was the first time they sold her out to some guy they thought was hot within the last fifteen minutes. Besides, it wasn't like they lied.

Actually, they had been doing it quite often as of late. Kagome would admit to having been more depressed than she thought she would be when she made the wish, but she was able to find a little salus in the knowledge she had done the right thing for everyone. It was true she had literally no way of knowing if everything turned out the way she hoped it would when she made the wish, but she did have enough faith in the Kami to know everything worked out. She couldn't say if it was better or worse, but the fact she was looking at a demon in her time, she could lean one way more than the other.

Were she honestly, she would admit she was, for some unknown reason, far more upset when the fog was gone and so was Kouga. There was a part of her that hoped he would still be there when the dust settled, and her heart audibly shattered in her chest when he wasn't. She had been beyond devastated, but she couldn't figure out why. Sure, he was a really good friend, and she had slept with him less that twenty-four hours before then, but still, the level of heartbreak over his disappearing was above and beyond that she felt when she saw InuYasha heading into the throws of passion with a walking funeral urn.

She had spent months looking everywhere he had taken her, looking for any sign he was still alive, but she was unable to find nothing until she saw him on TV. She had actually found both Shippo and Sesshoumaru fairly easy. You are not the most powerful businessman in the country and NOT have you face plastered on the front of a magazine or two. The only reason she was sure it was still Shippo at the magic shop was because she had gone in one day and sensed his aura. It was faint, but it was there. She, again, thought she was ready for the hurt that was going to come from him not knowing who she was, but she wasn't. He had given her a look, though, that told her there was something about her, but he never said anything more than asking if he could help her find something, and wishing her a good day when she left.

When it came to Kouga, though, those seven months of not knowing were far harder than they should have been. She couldn't understand why that was, but she assumed it was because she had had something beyond a friendship with him like she had with Shippo, and she knew him far better than she had Sesshoumaru. Sure, they had gotten on much better in this time than they had when she was running with his half-brother, but the Western Lord not surviving wouldn't have changed her life too much.

Looking at the ookami prince in that moment, the way his eyes seemed to still see into her soul and the all too familiar smirk on his lips, her stomach clenched and her heart thundered. Their one night together flashed before her eyes and she turned away from the piercing gaze as she felt her cheeks heat up at the memory.

Shooting a glare at her friends from the corner of her eyes, she took a deep breath and cleared her throat as she turned back to Kouga with a smile. "That would be me."

Kouga looked at the blushing onna and just grinned wider. That was one reaction he hadn't expected, but still, he rolled with it and moved past the group to the table, setting the tray down and picking up the bottle that was on it. Popping the cork, he poured five glasses then pushed the remaining champaign into the bucket of ice next to the table. Once he picked up the glasses, he turned to the girls and passed them out. This was the only way he could come up with to get close enough to each one to see which one it was he marked without knowing he did so.

Starting with the one closest to him, he made a circle, taking an unnoticed sniff each time he bent down, moving on to the next when he didn't smell him on her. When all that was left was the one celebrating her 20th birthday, his lips pursed. That... couldn't be possible. He had a rule about bedding anyone that wasn't legal drinking age. Yet, when he took the sniff at her shoulder when he handed her her glass, he was all but punched in the dick with the scent of his mating mark.

It was under his breath and below her range of hearing, but as he stood back up, he let loose his tongue and just cussed up a storm. Letting out a breath, he looked up at the ceiling for a moment, scratching his brow with the tip of a claw. Well, what was done was done. Only death would break the bond and he didn't exactly go out of his way to kill humans anymore. Nor, really, did have interest in dying himself.

Instead, he decided to let it go for the moment. Oh, he had every intention of getting the onna alone at some point and demanding a fill in of the night he apparently didn't remember, but for now, that wasn't going to happen. He would get her drunk as fuck first, mostly so she wasn't able to lie to him about it, but to also make her a little more willing to abandon the obvious protection of her friends if the looks they gave him when he chose to sit next to who he just found out was his mate.

Not letting any of his thoughts show on his face, he lifted his glass and smiled at the onna that carried his mark. "To a night that will never be forgotten. Happy birthday."

Kagome smiled and lifted her glass, as did her friends, toasting the cheers and taking their first drink at the club.

Ayumi, the oldest of the group, set her glass on her knee and looked at the guy that decided he was going to join them without an invitation. Keeping her voice pleasant, she gave him a look that was pretty much anything but. "So, since you decided to join us, don't you think we should get to know who you are?"

Smirking a little wider as he lifted his glass back to his lip, he glanced at the onna with his mark and saw her with her face in her palm, so he answered in the most offhand, yet iciest voice Kagome had ever heard him use. "Kouga Tamaki, and I want to personally welcome you to my club." Taking a drink from his glass, he licked his lips and looked back at the girl in front of him that had a somewhat apologetic, yet not nearly enough so, look. His voice was even when he spoke again. "Let me explain something to you. When you use my friends to ask me for a favor, such as bump another party for entry with VIP status, there should be a certain level of expectation on your part. That expectation should include that, at some point, the owner of the place is going to want to meet the people he's giving basically a free ride for the night. I'm aware one of you happens to know Ginta as well, and he should have imparted to you the knowledge that I always share a drink with my VIP guests. Don't worry your little head, Onna. I'm not joining for the night. I have far more important things to do this evening than just this."

At the name Ginta, Kagome's head snapped up and whipped to the side, nearly cracking with the speed. THAT'S Eri's boss? She had seen him a few times since Eri took that job, and she never noticed he was him. While she was staring holes into the side of Kouga's head, from the corner of her eye, she saw Eri elbow Ayumi in the ribs, the look on her face clearly telling her to apologize for her brass sounding statement. Kagome knew Eri did actually like Ginta, so when it was pretty apparently Ayumi wasn't going to smooth things over with Kouga, Kagome decided she would play peacemaker.

Putting a smile on her face, she set her hand on Kouga's arm, drawing his attention to her. When she was sure she had his attention, she spoke softly as she scratched her temple. "Sorry about Ayumi, Kouga. She's been to other clubs before and from what she's told us, she doesn't exactly have the best experience with guys just taking a seat without saying much before hand. It's nothing against you. It's really more about bad past personal experience."

Looking into the eyes of the woman that carried his mark, Kouga considered her words. He supposed he could appreciate where the onna was coming from with that being the case. He had seen that exact scenario play out many times with humans in the past, and could actually understand her trepidation. Though he wasn't sure if it was because he could see where she was coming from, or the fact his mate had a plea for understanding in her eyes, he eventually nodded. However, he still wasn't going to apologize for what he said.

He would be having a few words with Ginta though. The fucker was told to tell them to expect him to make an appearance at some point over the night, and the asshole apparently forgot. He was supposed to be stopping by later in the night, so he would be doing it then. Kouga was also curious if Ginta had ever been around this girl before because if he had been and smelled his mark and didn't tell him about it, Kouga was pretty sure he would fucking kill him.

Ayumi, looking at Eri, did kinda feel back for being so snippy, knowing what Eri had agreed to in order for them to even be able to get in the doors. Also, they were there for Kagome's birthday and she didn't want to end up ruining the night because of someone else that decided a girl by herself in a bar was free game. There wasn't anything about Kouga that said he was bad guy. He was actually pretty nice until she got pissy with him for pretty much no reason. It was clear from the way he was dressed he wasn't just a server that decided to join a party of all girls, and she hadn't thought about who he could have been before opening her mouth.

With a gulp, Ayumi scratched the back of her neck before looking back at Kouga, hearing Kagome trying to smooth things over and seeing him nod at the explanation. Still, it wasn't really Kagome's place to apologize for her, so, swallowing a ball of pride, Ayumi let out a breath before she spoke. "Yeah, sorry, Kouga-san. I shouldn't have said that like I did."

Swiveling only his eyes to look at her, Kouga barely bit back the title correction. Never had he cared for title or whatever, but after being disrespected like that in his own building, he was sorely tempted to snap out '-Sama'. While in this day and age being a demon lord didn't have the same meaning it used it, he was still very much the Eastern Lord. Instead, all he did was nod his head. "I can respect your reason for being protective. You didn't know. However, to put your mind at ease, you have my personal word that that is one thing you won't have to worry about here. I have security all over the place that are specially trained to both recognize and end unwanted attention without anyone being the wiser."

Kagome couldn't help it, she snorted softly in amusement, having a very good idea as to how they were actually able to know when a girl was uncomfortable. She covered her mouth and pressed her lips together and dropped her head away from the looks of her friends and the raised eyebrow from Kouga. Clearing her throat, she waved a hand. "Ignore me. The wine from the limo is starting to kick in I guess." Very much wanting to do nothing else to draw everyone's attention, she brought her glass to her lips and took slow sips so she wouldn't have to speak anymore more, making sure she looked pretty much anywhere but a person.

She had this feeling in the pit of her stomach something was on the horizon tonight, that something big was going to happen. She didn't know what it was, and she didn't know if it was good or bad, she just knew there was something.

While Kagome was in her thoughts, Eri took it upon herself to introduce them to Kouga, as well as thank him for the passes he gave Ginta, explaining she was the one that knew him.

Kouga, however, stopped listening when she revealed the name of his unknown mate. Kagome? He tossed the name around in his head but for his life, he could not remember ever meeting someone with that name before. Since he was still unable to recall meeting her, he was beginning to wonder if he was actually smelling what he thought he was. Up to this point, he still hadn't actually seen the mark on her flesh. While he damn well knew what a mating mark smelled like, and sure as fuck knew that was the smell of his, until he saw the mark with his own eyes, he couldn't actually be sure he was truly smelling what he knew he was.

His inner beast rolled his eyes at his civilized half and shook its head. As far as the beast was concerned, it didn't matter how she came to have it, what mattered was she had it. It was also being a very persistent asshole at the moment. He was very loudly demanding the civilized side of him made whatever moves he had to, to bring his mate home.

The beast cared very little about human sensitivities and even less about his other half's reservations. He decided to himself that if his other half didn't do something in the next hour, he would.

With a scratch of his brow with the tip of a claw, Kouga finished his drink, told the ladies if they needed anything to let the attendant know, then excused himself from the room. On his way to his office to place a call, he stopped at the bar. When the bartender came over to him, he glanced over his shoulder for a moment before turning back and lowering his voice.

"Turn down the AC in lounge three."

It wouldn't take but a half hour for it to get so stuffy in there Kagome would have no choice but to take off her jacket and, when she did, he would be around and would finally see for himself whether she actually carried his mark or not. If she did, he would go with the original idea of getting her alone so he could find out how and if she didn't, he would still find out how she smelled so much like him when he didn't know who the fuck she was.


	10. Chapter 10

Once the girls were once again alone, they all seemed to calm down, Yuka deciding they were going to do those shots they put off when Kouga came in the room. While the lounge they were in was far enough from the DJ the music wasn't blaringly loud, they could still hear it and, after three rounds of shots and another glass of champagne, all four girls were up off their pillows, dancing around the space and having a ball. They had every intention of actually leaving their room and hitting up the dance floor at some point, for the moment, they were content with just hanging out by themselves.

That was, of course, until the room started to get a little too warm and stuffy.

They had long since ditched their jackets, but it didn't seem to help all that much anymore. When it reached the point they were having a little trouble breathing, they figured something must have happened to the air and, after a moment of discussion, Kagome was the one elected to go to the bar and ask what was going on with it. Ayumi was still overly embarrassed about the way she spoke to the owner, and Eri and Yuka was probably the two shyest girl in Japan.

It was with an eyeroll Kagome grabbed one of the water bottles and, after a long satisfying drink, ducked out of the curtained off room and all but skipped over the bar. She was feeling fantastic at the moment and, despite being a sweaty mess, she was in a really good mood. Also, she was actually kinda hoping to run into Kouga again. She hadn't realized how much she really did miss him until she saw him again, and with them both being under the same room, she was really hoping to be able to catch up, if only covertly and vaguely.

She was curious how his life had turned out with the wish, if he was mated to Ayame, if he was happy. That's all she really wanted for him, was for him to be happy. She had thought a lot about their night together over the past few months. Absentmindedly, she reached up and scratched the scars on her shoulder. She didn't know how she got them, or what could have left them, but they always seemed to itch when she thought of Kouga. She chalked that up to it being because she only allowed herself to think about him when she was relaxed so she assumed they itched because she wasn't doing anything to distract her from them. Besides, it wasn't JUST then. They would do it randomly as well, so she never attributed them to the wolf.

Trying to be as unobscuritive as possible since she wasn't getting a drink, Kagome had intended to go to the edge of the bar where there was only one stool where she wouldn't block someone that was trying to get one, but she saw someone already there. So, she instead walked up to the corner of the bar, wrapping her hands around the edge and waited for the bartender to notice her.

But, when she looked behind the bar, she smiled when she saw Kouga back there slinging drinks with a wide grin on his face, laughing with whoever it was he was talking to. Waiting until he was just talking, she popped up on her toes and called his name, crooking a finger at him when he looked his way.

Hearing his name over the rather loud bar, Kouga turned to see who it was and grinned wide when he saw Kagome, sans her jacket, standing at the bar. When she gave him a 'come here' signal, he excused himself from the conversation he was having with Hakkaku, grabbed a rag to wipe his hands off, and headed over her way. He saw it even before he made it the whole way to her, plain as day. Two little puncture wounds on her right shoulder. Never had he thought two, tiny little marks would have such a huge impact on him. It wasn't even really that it was there. It was that he didn't remember doing it. He was mated, to a woman he didn't know, and had no idea about it. So many questions ran through his mind as he zeroed on the marks as he got closer. How long ago did it happen? How fucking drunk was he that he didn't remember doing it? The most prominent question in his mind, and the one his beast most wanted answered was, how long has he been cheating on her?

By the time he got to the end of the bar, his gut was tight and his mind whirling with this horrific discovery. it wasn't necessarily the mating that was the horrific part. The horrific part was, at some point, he fucked a minor and his beast bit the shit out of her... without telling him after the fact. That thought made his other side's hackles rise, but at the same time, the civilized side couldn't leave a mark like that, only the beast could, so he couldn't dispute it.

Having none of his thoughts on his face, he smiled wide at Kagome as he leaned on his forearms on the bartop, smile turning into more of a smirk when he heard her heart skip a beat. She certainly acted the way a mate did when shown attention from the one that bit her. Curious about one other thing, he opened his mouth, only to close it and reach across the bar, and lightly ran his fingers over his mark, watching at her legs damn near gave out on her. Yup... whatever denial he tried to hang onto was gone. This woman he couldn't remember meeting was his mate.

Fucking awesome.

Giving a reason for the touch, and hoping she gave him a good answer, Kouga pursed his lips. "What happened here?"

Once Kagome regained her ability to stand again, she looked at her shoulder where those two little scars were, setting her own fingers on them and scratching the skin. "I don't know, actually." Lifting a shoulder, she looked back up at Kouga. Though she didn't know where they came from true enough, she wasn't even about to tell him she noticed them two days after the two of them had sex on his living room floor. So, instead she went with as little of the truth as she could. "They've been there for months though."

Months? They've been there for MONTHS? Kouga couldn't keep the reaction off his face if he tried. His lips pressed together, his nose wrinkled, and his eyes closed. Not only has she been wearing his mark for months, she didn't know. The fuck was going on? He couldn't begin to believe there was zero recollection on both their parts over how the fuck this happened.

Drumming his claws on the bartop, Kouga opened his eyes and gave her a look that really allowed no argument on her part. "You and I? We need to have a little talk."

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, we do. There's a problem with our room. I don't think the air is working or something. It's really hot in there."

Oh, right. The air was still down. Looking at the wall behind the bar, he gave an internal applause to the his bartender for moving more than one dial. Kouga played it off perfectly though as he reached over and adjusted the sliding switches. "New bartender. Probably got the lights and the AC mixed up." Turning back to her, "Sorry about that. It should start cooling down pretty quick."

Giving him a smile and a nod of thanks, Kagome went to turn away and head back, but a hand on her wrist stopped her. Looking back to Kouga, she raised a brow at him. "Yeah?"

Saying nothing for a moment, mostly because he wasn't sure what to say, he went with the first thing that came to mind. "Let me buy you a drink. It is your birthday after all." Really, what he was hoping was for an opening for bringing up the topic of her wearing his mark. A few different things over the time he was in the room with her stuck out in his mind, and if he could get her admit she knew what he was, that would give him the opening he needed to find out the other missing pieces of this fucked up puzzle.

Though she wanted to take him up on the offer, she couldn't take too much longer getting back to her friends. So, making a sorrowful face, she had no choice but to decline. "Sorry, Kouga. My friends are waiting for me to come back."

Not one to be deterred, he grinned. "One drink and you can blame me for your continued absence."

Looking back at the lounge, she gave it a moment's thought before finally nodding and turning back to the bar. "Okay, one drink."

Knowing he had her now, Kouga reached under the bar and grabbed a bottle that wasn't out for common use. It was maybe a little dirty of him, but since she was wearing the mark of a demon, there was no reason she couldn't handle a glass of demon liquor. Besides, it tasted like strawberries and he had yet to see a female not like it. Pouring one for her and one for himself, he put the bottle back and grabbed the two glasses, tilting his head ot the side to tell her to follow him.

Moving out from behind the bar, Kouga led her over to an unused table and sat down, putting her glass in front of her and holding his own while taking a seat. As she took her's, he took the time for her to get situated to really get a good look at her. Though he didn't remember knowing her prior to tonight, he had to admit he marked one smoking hot onna, but he wasn't seeing a whole lot more than that. However, there was something about her that set him a little on edge, though he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. It was his hope, after a little real devil juice, he would be able to get her to her open up and reveal her secrets. He could tell by her scent she wasn't telling the whole truth when it came to the scars on her shoulder, but come hell or high fucking water, he would get the whole truth one way or another.

Once she was seated, Kagome also took a moment to take in her friend. He really hadn't changed from what she knew. She could see the claws on his fingers and the points to his ears. She could also see the chain around his neck and knew what it was. Not wanting to make this more awkward, she took a drink and hummed at the taste. It was absolutely delicious. Licking her lips, she smiled at him. "What is this? It's really good."

Ignoring the question, he leaned back in his seat. "Thought you might like it." Since Kouga was able to speak, he was never one to mince words. Blunt as always, he jumped in with both feet. "Kagome, I need to ask you something and you need to tell me the truth." When she looked at him, he set his glass down and crossed his arms. "You know, don't you?"

That was, perhaps, the last thing she ever expected him to ask her. She was told he wouldn't remember her, so how in the hell would he know to ask that? Swallowing hard, she brought her drink to her lips, nodding in the affirmative instead of saying it out loud. When Kouga didn't follow that with any more questions, but instead gave her an expectant look, she sighed as she swallowed and mimicked his position. With her eyes cast down, she pressed her lips together before lifting her eyes and gulping again. "You won't believe me."

Locking his eyes with her's, Kouga voice was flat and slightly irritated, one thing she didn't want. "Kagome, you're talking to a demon. Try me." He watched as she seemed to fold into herself, her arms half crossing and half wrapping around her torso. When she lowered her head and dropped her eyes again he sighed, actually feeling a little bad for his tone. Honestly, she didn't really deserve to be snapped at. It wasn't like this was her fault.

He scratched his head, looking off to the side for a moment before turning back to face her. As he went to open his mouth to apologize and try an explain what his issue was, he saw her cringe before her entire outer demeanor changed. She went from upset to overly happy in no time at all, causing Kouga to blink and his lip to curl. As he was about to ask her what the fuck, he heard three voices call her name from behind him. Well, that explains that then. Growling low when he felt her toe connect to his shin, he glared at her before following along and plastering a grin on his face.

Kagome shot Kouga an apologetic look, before turning her bullshit smile on her friends when they reached the table. "Hey guys! Sorry I didn't come back, but," Looking at the ookami in front of her, "Kouga here was at the bar when I asked about the air conditioning and he asked me to have a drink with him."

Tilting his head back, he looked at the three onnas that were flushed and smiling, telling him as much as their scent did they really took advantage of that shot fountain. Biting back the snort, he smiled at them. "Sorry about that. The lights and the AC dials look the same and the new guy I got behind the bar got 'em backwards. Any cooler in there for ya?"

Yuka, feeling beyond fantastic and far more talkative than she has ever been. Her face was all but split in half with the smile on her face as she nodded. "Oh, yeah. It started to cool down almost right away." Turning to Kagome, "We're going to the dance floor. You coming?"

The look she was given from her friends clearly said she was, but the one from Kouga clearly said they weren't done talking. Finding the only middle ground she could, she picked up her not empty glass and showed her friends. "When I'm done with this, I'll meet there you there."

Ayumi and Yuka nodded, but Eri hung back and smiled at her friend, giving Kouga a glance from the corner of her eye. Giggling, she pointed back and forth between the two of them. "When you're done with 'this', meet us there." With a wink and a wave, Eri jogged off to catch up with her friends. She had spent the last hour or so texting Ginta about Kouga and going off what he said, whatever reservations she might have had about the blue eyed hotty were put to bed. Also, he told her he would be stopping by the club a little later, so her thoughts were elsewhere anyway.

Glaring at her quickly retreating friend, she huffed under her breath. "Bitch." Running her hand down her face, she sighed and looked back at Kouga and frowned. "Look, Kouga, it's a really, really long story."

Not really thinking about his words, he blurted out the first thing that popped into his head and didn't get stopped by his nearly nonexistent filter. "That ends with us fucking and only one of us remembering." The second that sentence was out of his mouth, he regretted it.

For Kagome, it felt like she was punched in the gut. Hunching her shoulders, she looked away, unable to make eye contact after that. "Well, it didn't happen like that, no. I mean, it wasn't exactly planned, but it wasn't like you make it sound."

Rubbing his fingers between his closed eyes, Kouga blew out a harsh breath. "I didn't mean to say it like that."

A small, sad smile graced Kagome's lips, her voice distant. "Yes, you did. You don't say anything you don't mean." Looking back at him and seeing his raised brow, she scratched the back of her neck and bit her lip. There wasn't enough time in a night to get through the whole thing, but she could give an abridged version then offer to go into more detail another time. Propping her elbows on the table, she laced her fingers together and set her chin on them. "Have you ever heard of the Shikon no Tama?" She wasn't sure what happened with the jewel in the past when she made her wish, but she really hoped it did still exist at one time. This would be a lot harder if it didn't.

Lip curling in the corner, Kouga looked at the girl before him. She did seem to know quite a bit about him, things she would only have learned with having more than two interactions with him; the night they clearly spent together and this one being the two. When she asked about the Jewel of Four Souls, the other brow rose to join the first in his bangs. The fuck is she asking about that thing for? Still, he nodded. "Of course I have. I lived through the horror of that fucking thing. The question is, how do you? It's been gone now for just about five hundred years."

It was like someone stole her breath. Horror? No, there shouldn't have been a horror. It was supposed to change. Eyes growing wide, she whimpered without thinking about it. "Naraku?"

Brows falling into a look of confusion, Kouga quipped. "The fuck is that?" He might not remember mating this onna, but that didn't make it any less real or the effects her emotions had on him any less severe. The fear that engulfed her scent carried an all consuming demand to rip whoever this asshole was apart.

Sensing the change in his mood, Kagome shook her head, back tracking slightly. If he didn't know the name Naraku, then her wish came true and he was never created. Still though, it seemed something amiss happened she hadn't intended. "Nevermind. Um, you said it was gone, though?"

The girl was a fucking lunatic, there was no other answer. Still, he nodded, hoping his answers would eventually lead to her's. "Yeah. From what I heard, some stupid ass half breed used it to give up his demon half for some woman and that got rid of it. I guess it wasn't soon enough or some shit though, cause there was a whole lotta crap to deal with before it found its way to the priestess that mutt fell for."

Looking at Kouga through her lashes, "But it was never broken though, right?"

Kouga made a face. "Nope, don't think so. Christ, can you imagine how much bullshit would have gone along with that? Keeping track of the one piece was hard e-fucking-nough. Trying to find little shards that each held a piece of the power of the Shikon? Fuck." Giving an internal shudder at the thought, he shook his head and returned his attention to the now, rather pale onna. "Are you really into history or something?"

Kagome's nose wrinkled and she shook her head, her voice soft. "Not really, no." Scrubbing her hands roughly over face, she then kept it covered as she considered her very fucked up position. Somehow or other, Kouga knew they slept together, but it was pretty damn clear Midoriko was right about him not remembering her anymore. But, he was pretty steadfast in making sure at least that particular part of the story was told. Knowing she couldn't tell him about it without at least a little back story, she dropped back into her seat and crossed her arms again. "I knew you once."

Cutting in, Kouga snorted. "Yeah, I kinda figured that out on my own."

Giving him a glare she had so many times in her memories, she snapped back. "Do you want the story or not?" When she saw Kouga wave a hand, she sighed. "It happened five years ago..."

Again, without thinking, Kouga cut in. "The fuck it did. I don't sleep with jailbait."

This time, she got a little more pissy. "Jesus Christ, Kouga. Would you shut the fuck up and let me talk already? I won't tell you shit if you interrupt me one more time."

Now he was starting to see it. Sure, she had this innocence about her, but she had fire, that was for sure. Grinning a fang flashing grin, he lifted a hand to signal the bartender to bring another round. Crossing his arms again, he chuckled. "The floor is yours, Koi."

Glaring at him a moment longer, she launched into a shortened version of the real story of their past, before the wish was made. Though she touched on all the major points, she glossed over some of the more pointless details. She only paused when the bartender came over with a bottle of what she discovered was what Kouga had poured for her before.

Kouga listened more intently to her than he ever had anyone else in his life. The story she spun sounded like something out of one of his worst nightmares. It did explain the fear that took over her scent when she asked about that Naraku guy before, though. He tried to find something that said what she was saying wasn't true, but he couldn't. Even if the story was false, or if it was blown out of proportion, she knew way too many little details about a time she wasn't from for it to be a complete lie.

When she reached the point he was truly interested in, the part where they slept together, he gave her his completely undivided attention. No, she didn't get into the really good details about it like he hoped she would, but he did find out it was only one time, her first, though he could tell that by scent alone, and only. No where in her abridged recount however, did she say he bit her. She paused but he stayed quiet, letting that particular part rerun through his thoughts. He closed his eyes and pictured what she said and he considered the fact that, though it was pretty rare, there was the chance she was so gone in bliss she didn't feel it.

He was looking at the proof of it as it stared him in the face. His mark was on her shoulder. He bit her, there was no denying that.

Once he looked like he was ready for more, or at least looking at her again, Kagome finished the story. "It was the next day I figured out what the wish on the Shikon had to be. In the morning, I went back to Sesshoumaru's place and got the shards I left there, and called you to bring me the two you had. After I put it all back together and made the wish, you stayed with me as long as you could, until the holy barrier became too overwhelming. When I spoke to the miko that resided within the jewel, she told me no matter the wish, I would remain exactly as I was, with all my memories and everything that happened to me intact, while everyone else would live through time as if I was never there. She didn't know if any demons would once again live through the demon purge, and when the wish was granted and she was set free of her battle, you weren't at the shrine anymore." Lifting her eyes, she gave him a sad smile. "That was nine months ago."

When he knew she was finished, his stomach clenched as he digested the last of what she said. Not only did she not notice he bit her, he never told her after the fact, either. He knew he was an asshole, but damn. He was quiet for a long moment before he pursed his lips. "When I was sitting with you, did I say anything?" Though he was positive she would have told him if he said something about THAT, he just wanted to make absolutely sure before he went ahead and kicked his own ass.

Thinking back again, Kagome shook her head. "No. You asked me if I was saying good-bye, but that was all. There was a point you looked like you wanted to, but you kissed me instead."

There was a resounding crack as Kouga facepalmed himself hard enough for it to actually hurt. He kept his hand over his face and pointed to her shoulder with the other. His voice, though, set Kagome a little on edge. "When did you notice that?"

Looking at her shoulder where he was pointing, she hummed as she touched it. "Um, the next day. I was so worn out after the thing with jewel, I went inside when you weren't there and fell asleep. I saw it when I got in the shower."

Scratching his throat, Kouga's claw clicked against the chain around his neck that held his concealment charm. She even knew what that was, and what he used it to cover. Only four people knew that; him, Ginta, Hakkaku, and Shippo. Rolling the chain between his fingers, he leaned back and cocked his head, deciding to play this out a little more before he tells her. Dropping the chain, he draped his arms behind the back of the chair and leaned back, putting his ankle on his knee. "Okay, Kagome. Let's say I believe you, cause, let's be honest, that's one hell of a story."

Looking at him, a spark of hope in her eyes, Kagome said nothing, just nodded. She could agree to that. It was a pretty out of this world story, something that was so fantastic it belonged in a book. If he was willing to at least consider she wasn't out of her mind, maybe she would get her friend back.

Seeing, and smelling, the emotions of her scent, Kouga grinned slightly. It was clear she wanted him to believe her, and honestly, that story was so for out there, even without the visible proof of it, he probably still would have. Clicking his claws behind his back, he cocked his head to the side as he regarded her. After a moment of silence, he locked their eyes. "Why is this the first time I've seen you since then? If we were such good friends, and we kinda had to be since we slept together, I would have thought you would have tried to find me sooner."

Blushing, Kagome glanced away. She did, for quite awhile. She just wasn't so sure she wanted to admit that to him, or how upset, borderline depressed, she had been when she couldn't find him. As she sat there wrestling with herself, she snapped to attention when she felt a hand on her shoulder, whipping her head back around to see Kouga had moved from sitting across from her to next to her. The look in his eyes in that moment was so like the last one she saw. It was so caring, she felt like she owed him to tell the truth. She licked her lips, but ended up answering the question.

"I did look for you, for longer than I should have. But, once I found out Sesshoumaru and Shippo were still alive, I didn't want to give up, but no matter where I looked or whatever, there was nothing. I thought you died until two months ago when you were on the news about opening up this place. I called a couple of times to see about a reservation, but I was always told short of knowing you, I would have to take my chances waiting in the line."

Humming in his throat, Kouga leaned back and tossed one arm over the back of his chair and picked up his glass. "Apparently, you do. And hell, even if you didn't, should have said you did."

Pure confusion took over her features. "Huh?"

After swallowing a rather large drink, deciding it was time to get hammered, Kouga shrugged. "Do you have any idea how many people call and make that claim a day? Some of them even get creative and make up some bullshit story about how we met and how well we know each other. If I actually confirmed every story, I would literally have no time to do anything else. Between here and the Den in Osaka, hundreds of claims to personally know me are made. All my secretaries are demons. Had you told them you knew I was one, they wouldn't have second guessed shit, and probably given you whatever you asked for seeing as that's rather uncommon knowledge. Truth be told though, we still would have had this conversation because that would be a claim I would have checked out." Finishing his drink and pouring another, he looked at his mate. "And my questions for you would have remained the same."

At that, all Kagome could do was nod. She was pretty sure that was the case, but she was pretty confused about something. Finishing her own drink, and nodding when he ask if she wanted another one, she looked at him as he poured it. "Kouga, can I ask you something now?" When he nodded, she cocked her head. "How did you know to ask if I knew what you were?"

And that, right there, was the reason he downed his just filled glass. Setting the empty glass on the table, Kouga let out a harsh sigh. He had no idea how this shit was gonna go, but he was pretty sure it wasn't going to be pretty. In all technicality, he didn't really think he could be blamed for this, yet at the same time, was there really any true difference between the version she knew and told him of and the him sitting right there? He didn't have the slightest clue. It wasn't like time travel or timelines, or what the fuck ever was all that well known. Clearly, she knew him well enough, but he didn't have that luxury. She had given him little glimmers here and there that expressed she possessed a pretty nasty temper and, he was pretty sure being told that little interlude they had ended in a mating claim, was gonna set it off.

Still, he didn't know the meaning of the term 'back down', so instead, he looked her in the eyes and laid it out on the line. "Because you carry my mark."


	11. Chapter 11

_Because you carry my mark._

Those five words were met with dead silence. Kagome had no reaction, at all, whatsoever. She was positive she misheard that. There was no other explanation. Slowly, she glanced down at her shoulder, her eyes wide and lips parted. He... Didn't. Not moving her head, she shifted her eyes to the wolf, who was looking back at her, blank expression, most likely waiting to see how she reacted. Her voice shook and her throat was tight. "Mark? As in... " she trailed off, not fully able to bring herself to saying it out loud.

Kouga, on the other hand, didn't have that problem.

He nodded and crossed his arms again. "Mating mark. I smelled it the moment I stepped into the lounge earlier. All night I have been trying to figure out when it happened because I had no idea who you were and I can't get drunk enough to blackout. Your story explained that, but leaves us in a bit of a bind."

Kagome glared hard for a human. "That's why you believed me?"

"Don't have much of a choice, now do I? I know I've never seen you before, I would have remembered your scent. Yet, clear as day, plain as anything," he pointed to her shoulder, "that mark is mine. You said that miko told you you would remain as you were. Remaining as you were means you remained my mate. For whatever reason, while you and the Kouga from your story were in the throws of passion, he bit you. Whether it was done on purpose or not, or whether he intended to or not, he marked you as his before you made your wish and erased you from the past and, by extension, my memories."

As they sat there having a staring contest, all manner of things began to come together for the ookami. The random bouts of depression. The longing he could never figure out. The feeling of loneliness nothing would get rid of over the last near year. It was like a puzzle that was missing pieces was beginning to be solved. He was mated, and he didn't know.

On Kagome's end, she was about as livid as she's ever been. How could he do this to her? And then not tell her he did it when he had the chance? She was going to kill him. As her temper flared, so did her aura, sparking and causing bolts of purification to dance across Kouga's skin.

At the feel of burning, Kouga shot out of his seat, barely able to keep his inhuman speed from showing as he bared his fangs at the pissed off miko. It wasn't fully intentional, but damn that shit hurt. His voice was shadowed by a growl he wasn't fully able to suppress. "That's what it was. You still have your Riki."

Blinking at the statement, Kagome looked around, flinching back when she saw red eyes around the room staring right at her. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down. It wouldn't do to get so pissed off she hurt someone that didn't deserve it. Scrubbing her face with her hands, she couldn't remove the glare if she tried. "You... bit me, and didn't tell me."

Kouga, however, disagreed. He held up a finger and waved his arm. "I didn't do shit. Let's get that straight right now. I didn't even know you existed until three hours ago. You can't blame me for this. I don't know why your version didn't tell you, but if your reaction would have been anything like this one, I can take a fucking guess. Besides, you yourself said you thought I was dead. If you think for a minute that had I known I wouldn't have searched you out, you are sadly mistaken." Moving back to the table, instead of taking a seat again, he set his hands on the table top and leaned over, getting nearly nose to nose, and lowering his voice as he forced her to look him in the eyes. "You're the one that made a wish that tore us apart. I'm positive that had you waited more than a few measly hours after the fact, he would have told you. He wouldn't have been able to keep it to himself for very long." Though he saw her eyes flash with something, he pressed on, because he wasn't about to have the blame for this placed on his shoulders. "Curiously enough, when he asked if you were saying good-bye, what was your answer?"

Kagome looked into his blue eyes as they began to swirl with red, showing just how pissed off he himself was getting. It took everything she had not to back away in the face of the demon's anger, something she had never seen to this extent before. She didn't look away, through, as she answered. "I said maybe, that is was up to him and the Kami. He had already survived so many different variations of time..."

He cut in then. "Exactly, he survived, every time. You spun me a very pretty story, Kagome. It's just too bad you don't see the point."

She jerked back with that statement. "What point?"

Leaning closer to her, so the tips of their noses touched, Kouga's voice softened. "He survived, I survived, all because of you."

Before Kagome was able to respond, a new voice interjected, causing both her and Kouga to turn their heads to see who it was.

Ginta, completely oblivious to the situation, walked over waving with a smile. "Hey there, Kouga, Kagome. How's your birthday going?"

Kouga's eyes narrowed as Ginta's words caressed his ears. "So you do know her." Standing to his full height, Kouga barked at him. "I'm gonna fuck you up."

As Kouga took a step towards one of his last remaining comrades with his fangs slightly bared, Ginta took a step back and Kagome shot out of her seat, putting herself between the pissed off prince and the very confused underling. Not thinking her actions through, Kagome put her hands on Kouga's chest and pushed against him, trying to hold him back.

Looking up at him, Kagome tried her damnedest to calm Kouga down, but she had no idea what set him off, other than she and Ginta had seen each other before. She wouldn't go as far as saying they knew each other, but he did know it was her birthday, because he was the one that arranged for them to celebrate it at the club, and that's exactly what she told him.

Kouga, however, wasn't satisfied with that. Glaring over her head at Ginta, though not actively trying to get around her for fear of hurting her, he snarled. "Not the point. The point is, we could have known about this months ago had that son of bitch used the half a brain he has left."

Letting out a hard sigh, Kagome kept her cool and looked over her shoulder, though she was a little less inclined to keep Kouga at bay. Giving Ginta a clearly irritated smile, "Hey, Ginta, I think Eri is still on the dance floor. Why don't you go that way... right now." When he didn't make a move to listen, and Kouga snapped his fangs, Kagome squealed and pressed herself completely against Kouga's chest, this time yelling at Ginta to go away.

Kouga growled low in his chest at the sight of Ginta's retreating form. Despite everything, and all the anger that flowed through his veins over the situation, the feel of his mate pressed against him in the way she was, gave him pause as her scent engulfed him. Growling again, this time without an ounce of anger in it, he wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders. Looking down at the top of her head, Kouga cocked a brow. "There is no possible way you're okay with this," using his other arm, he gestured towards Ginta's form on the other side of the room, "or that. He knew. Had to have known. Any demon within twenty feet of you would have smelled the scent of a mating mark."

Kagome pressed her lips together. Of course she wasn't okay with this. Was he stupid? Still, the familiar feel of his arms brought her a sense of comfort she didn't realize how much she missed. She closed her eyes and sighed, taking the small amount of comfort from it she could before she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "You said you had other demons working for you here. Did any of them tell you about it?"

The question itself was innocent, but it made Kouga snort. "Why the hell do you think I delivered the damn bottle? I'm not a server. The security guard told me he caught a scent I needed to check out for myself. He didn't, however, tell me what I was going to be walking into."

Lowering her head again, Kagome nodded slightly, though her thoughts had already moved on. Well, went back to something he said before Ginta showed up. Licking her lips, she swallowed hard, not sure she wanted to know this answer. "Before, you said we were in a bind." Feeling him shift, she guessed to look down at her again, she cleared her throat. "What did you mean?"

With the question, Kouga took a step back, still looking down at her, but now he could actually see her. "Exactly that. There is no way to undo a mating. It's for life. The only way to break it, is for one of us to die. I don't go out of my way to kill humans anymore, and I have no interest in death." A sly look overtook Kouga's face, and he chuckled. "Unless, you do?" Raising a brow, he laughed outright at the look that settled on Kagome's face and easily dodged the hand aiming for his arm.

Kagome huffed and crossed her arms, a glare that held no heat on her face. "Well, then what do we do? I mean, it hasn't had any real effect has it? Can we just pretend it's not there?"

Kouga snorted hard, mostly to cover up how bad that last part of her question hurt. He didn't think it would be quite so painful to give life to one of the questions he probably would have eventually asked himself were he her. He might not know her well, but the thought that she would want to completely ignore the bond that was created, even not knowing it was done, felt much like he was kicked in the dick.

Shaking it off as best he could, he gave her a look. "Oh, but it will. And, while not overly intrusive yet, it has had its effects. I felt your more dominating emotions; the depression, the longing, the loneliness, I just didn't know what it was before. But, that is going to change now."

She didn't want to ask, but it was out before she could stop it. "How so?"

At that question, Kouga clicked his tongue. That wasn't an easy answer, and not one for being so out in the open. Sure, the majority of their conversation really should have been had elsewhere, but since it wasn't, nothing could change it. This though, was really something for out of earshot. Giving the room a glance and seeing Kagome's friends still dancing, he grabbed her wrist and tilted his head to side. "Follow me."

Though blinking at the command, she didn't stop him from pulling her through the crowd towards the lounge area she had basically been gifted for her birthday. While she followed Kouga, her thoughts took her on a whirlwind of a path. She wasn't sure how to deal with this. Sure, there was a point in her life that she had the desire to be a mate to someone, but that was a very long time ago, and it wasn't Kouga she had those thoughts about. For as much as she cared about him, and for the fact they did what they did, she never entertained the thought of being Kouga's mate because honestly, she never thought she would see him again.

She wondered why Kouga did this, what he was thinking when he bit her. She knew how he felt about her. He told her enough times. She just never considered what the lasting implications could have been when she so easily gave in to him. She didn't even put up a fight when he kissed her the first time. When she dove at him, what started as a little fun turned into a whole lot of a different kind.

She could still feel his muscles as they rippled with his movements. She could still smell the sweet smelling sweat that coated his skin pressed against her's. She could still envision the tender look in his eyes as he stared into her's. If she really allowed herself to think about it, she would have remembered the pain in her shoulder when she was bitten. She had been so distracted at the time, she hardly felt it, but she could recall something, she had just thought it was something else.

She didn't look up again until she felt him let go of her wrist, and she was surprised at how much she wanted him to grab it again. Was this what he meant before? About now that it was known it would change? Was this one of those changes? She watched as he went over to the table and filled a couple of shot glasses from the ice fountain. Taking the one he held out to her with a smile, she tapped his glass and threw it back, shivering slightly as she swallowed it.

Kouga just watched her, opening himself up to the bond created when she was marked, feeling what she felt. There was a lot of confusion, hurt, and anger, but there was also a seed of acceptance. Good. That would make this a little easier. Probably not much, but a little, and that was more than he had before.

He waited until she sat down, then took a seat in front of her and crossed his arm and legs. He didn't say anything for a couple minutes. He just looked at his mark and tried to come up with the best way to say this. It wasn't pretty, but she did need to know. But, the more he was surrounded by her scent, the harder it was to keep his distance. Instinct told him she was his, that he could give into the creeping in desire to touch, but her face clearly said different.

To Kagome, the only thing needed to complete the image in her head was Kouga's fur headband and he would look just like she remembered. It was so weird, just as much now as it was the last time she saw him in modern day clothing. Still, she thought he looked very nice in the black slacks and crimson colored button up. His hair was still put up in a ponytail, something she never thought would change, no matter what he wore. She saw the look of deep thought on his face and eventually sighed. "Just say it, Kouga. Not like, at this point, we have much to lose by coming clean about everything."

That was true, he supposed. It wasn't like hiding anything was going to stop it from happening. Drumming his fingers on his arm, he nodded. "I can't be blamed for the bite, but the coming issues... those are my fault. Ya see, normally, when a woman is bitten, there is a certain amount of, um, affection? Attention? to the mark when it's made. It's sort of an activation, for lack of a better way to put it. While it's normally always licks and nuzzles or something to that effect, any kind of physical contact will do it. Even without that, there is still some connection, but it's easy to pass it off like we've been doing. I touched the mark at the bar, which acted as the activation it needed to act as intended.

"I've never known of anyone not showering their mark with affection right after it was given, but since you said you didn't really hang around for cuddles afterward, I'm assuming he didn't get the chance. Had there been any sort of contact with it before you made your wish and changed whatever you changed, I would have known instantly not only it happened, but where you were, and everything you felt as clearly as if I was feeling it myself. This whole thing would have gone down months ago."

Kagome just nodded. "I understand that. What I want to know is what you meant by things changing."

Kouga could nothing but raise a brow. "Can't you feel it? That feeling of desire to touch and be touched? I know you did when I let go of your arm. That's what I meant. Before, it could be ignored, or at the very least overlooked and explained away. But, soon, very soon, it'll be all encompassing. It'll be a craving the likes you've never felt before. It'll take your very breath away to deny yourself the desire to be close to me, and the same will happen with me when it comes to you. Eventually, it will become physically fucking painful to be apart for any real length of time."

He paused there, giving his head a shake. "That's why I can't believe, for any reason, a demon would bite a human they even thought they were about to lose. It might explain why the mark wasn't activated, but not why it was put there is the first place."

Kagome listened to what he was saying, but there was a part of her that couldn't fully digest what he was saying. It wasn't that she didn't understand it. He explained it well enough she thought. She was mostly having a hard time with the fact Kouga bit her behind her back.

A frown made it to her lips as she glanced away. "Maybe... Maybe that's why he didn't do it."

Kouga cocked a brow at her. "Not a mind reader, Koi. Care to explain?"

Looking at him, Kagome shrugged helplessly. "You said yourself the marking would have been mostly able to go ignored until it was touched. All it really did was sorta tell you what I was feeling, but you didn't know why, but had he touched it, you would have known immediately. Maybe he did it, but didn't touch it, in case he didn't survive again? I mean, what would it have really done if you didn't?"

Kouga couldn't really do anything but shrug. "Not a damn thing. It's broken with death. Had I not survived, even with you continuing to carry the mark since that Miko said you were gonna stay as you were, it wouldn't have done anything because the one the mark belonged to was dead. You would have kept the scent mark possibly, but all that would have done was deter other demons from trying to get in your pants. It wouldn't have any sort of effect at all on a human. One question though. How did you not know what that was?"

Kagome choked a bit at the question. "How the fuck would I? I'm not a demon. I don't know about your damn mating rituals. Truth be told, I honestly thought they were claw marks when my shoulder was grabbed a little too hard. Besides, I mean, I knew what his feelings were, but I wasn't exactly expecting him to sink them pearly fangs of his into my shoulder."

Scratching a brow with the tip of his claw, Kouga hummed and closed his eyes. "I can understand that. What I'm having a hard time with, and I'm going to apologize now for how this is going to sound, but," opening his eyes and looking into her, "Don't you think, at least partly, you were actually pretty selfish about this whole thing?"

Kagome blinked and jerked back. "How so?"

Lifting a hand, Kouga hoped to stop her temper from flying off the handle completely. "I'm not saying what he did was right. No matter what was about to happen, he should have told you. However, you knew your wish was going to tear the two of you, the two of us, apart, and you didn't tell him either. Maybe is not an answer when it comes to something like saying goodbye to the person you love. Something I don't really know how to feel about, honestly. Personally, I find your wish selfish, even if that Miko didn't, or that you don't. You erased something that means everything to a demon and when you found out I was still alive, and also where to find me, you still stayed away. You might not have known about the mark, but there were plenty of ways to see me in the last two months that you wouldn't have had to say you knew me. This isn't a reservation only place, nor is Osaka. Could have came earlier in the night before the line formed. Could have come after closing as I left. There were ways, and you didn't come." When he saw her eyes spark, he forced them to lock on his. "I'm not blaming you for this. All I'm saying is if you really wanted to find me, you could have. You found two other demons you knew, two other male demons, and yet I'm seeing you for the first time. You may not know, or care, about that significance, but I do, and I'm having a hard time with it."

Taking a deep breath to calm back down, Kagome took a moment to actually consider his words and, though she loathed to, she had to give it to him that he had a point. No, she hadn't actually gone to see either Shippo or Sesshoumaru, each for their own obvious reason, but finding out there was a bond that connected her and Kouga, she could see things from his point of view. Kouga had always been protective of her, and now that she was, she guessed, his mate, he did have a pretty valid reason to have a difficult time with the situation.

Standing up, swaying a bit from the amount of alcohol he had had, she shook it off and went over to the table and grabbed a rocks glass and filled that bitch up with the cherry vodka from the fountain. It was, in her opinion, time to get waisted.

Kouga watched her as she chugged what would probably have equaled three shots and shook his head. "You're gonna get sick if you do that."

Kagome shrugged as she refilled her glass. "Isn't that the point of your twentieth birthday, anyway?"

Standing himself, Kouga was quick to her side, grabbing the glass out of her hand before she was able to down that one, too. Grinning at her pout, he dumped the triple or more shot. "Normally, but there are better ways to do that than giving yourself alcohol poisoning while you're at it." Setting the glass down, he then took her hand and turned her to face him. He looked into her eyes for a moment before he sighed. "Look, this is fucked up. We can agree on that, right?" He saw her nod, and he tilted his head. "This is going to take some getting used to on both our parts, but I think, once all the questions we both have are answered, it'll work out."

Kagome looked up at him. "You really think that? With as pissed off as you are?"

Kouga shrugged. "I won't deny I'm pissed off about it, but there's nothing either of us can do about it. The only thing we can do is deal with it. Nothing is saying we jump right into the deep end. I don't know you very well, and honestly, you don't really know me anymore. You know some of my quarks, but mostly ones everyone knows. We'll take this as slow as we can, and try to get to know each other, alright?"

Letting out a breath and nodding once, Kagome smiled up at him. "Alright. And I am sorry about this, for what it's worth."

Pulling her to his chest and wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Kouga set his chin on the top of her head. "Can't blame you, Koi. You didn't even know. Besides," Pulling back and crooking a finger under her chin to tilt her head back, Kouga smirked at her. "You're the one that's really going to suffer. You have no idea what you're in for."

Kagome cocked a brow. "Excuse me?"

With a dark chuckle in his throat, Kouga took a step back and grabbed her shoulders, turned her towards the exit of the lounge, and walked her out. "Your friends are probably wondering where you are. Enjoy your birthday, Mate. I'll see you in a bit."

When they were back in the main club and Kouga let her go, Kagome whipped around and blinked at Kouga's retreating form. Jolting at his back, she called out. "Where are you going?"

Turning and walking backwards with his hand behind his back, Kouga grinned. "I have a business to run, My Lady. Go hang out with your friends while you have the chance. When I'm done, I'll be back, and your attention will be all mine."


	12. Chapter 12

Dropping hard into the seat at his desk, Kouga leaned his head back on the rest and closed his eyes. Yeah, he can put on a show for his mate, but in reality, he already had a migraine over the situation. What she didn't know was there was a ton of shit that needed to be done, and a lot of that shit she was going to have to do. He made a mental list of what he had to do to get the proverbial ball rolling, and cringed when he came to the part where he had to inform the other three lords of his discovered mating.

That was going to be fun.

While most remaining demons had long since gotten over the prejudice they carried for humans, it was still only really a tolerance, and mostly because humans outnumbered demons by thousands to one. You either dealt with them, or you lived in a cave away from them like some did.

As for the demon lords, they didn't really have an opinion of humans one way or another, and instead mostly took advantage of them. Out of the four of them, Kouga was the only one that wasn't a blowout, typical business man that wore a suit and ruled over a boardroom. he very much enjoyed the lifestyle he had, though he wouldn't say he was on par with the others. Sure, he had a hefty bank account and a larger than necessary house, but he didn't flaunt it like the other three.

The only one he was really concerned about was Sesshoumaru, and that was mostly because of Kagome herself. She knew him, at least somewhat, and he hadn't changed nearly at all over the centuries. He still only barely tolerated humanity, and truly still thought they were beneath him. However, Kagome wasn't just a regular human. She was a miko, and from what he felt, a very powerful one. True Mikos really did no longer exist in the world, and he was mated to one. That was going to go over like a lead fucking balloon.

Still, the two of them had known each other basically since birth, so Kouga knew how to play that dog like a well tuned fiddle. With both of them coming from ruling families, and being the heir of said families, they had crossed paths a lot when they were younger, and even more now that they had banded together to save what little demon population was left.

So, knowing he didn't have a choice and knowing he had to get it over with, he picked up the office phone and dialed. Grabbing a pen to start the inventory list for the next order, he spoke into the receiver when he heard the standard greeting.

"You are _never_ gonna believe this shit."

 ***X***

Kagome was having a blast on the dance floor, but it didn't escape her notice that she was clearly the center of a few other's attention. She could feel the eyes on her and she was pretty sure it had to do with the mark Kouga told her she was wearing. She wasn't sure if they were doing it because she had somehow become a sideshow attraction or if they were following Kouga's orders to watch her, but it was nearly starting to become a problem for her. She was also not able to find out exactly who it was that was watching her either, because every time she looked around, no one was looking at her. Kouga said any demon within twenty feet of her would know, but she didn't think that gave them liberty to stare.

Reaching the point she couldn't take the tingled that kept dancing up her spine, Kagome excused herself from her friends and made her way up to the bar. She was already pretty drunk, but at least there there was a security guard she could clearly see.

When she finally picked her way through the tables and guests, she saw an empty stool and took it before anyone else could. Settling herself on it, she looked for the bartender and smiled when she saw him making his way over to her. Ordering a drink when he asked what she wanted, she shuddered again at the feeling of being stared at.

Lance, the bartender, clearly saw her discomfort and stayed in front of her when he gave her the ordered drink. "You alright?"

Looking up at him, Kagome frowned slightly and shrugged. "I'm fine. Just... a little creeped out. I feel like everyone is staring at me."

Lance didn't miss a beat. "That's because they are." Seeing the look on the girl's face, he leaned towards her, lowered his voice, and explained. "You're their boss's mate, My Lady. They're gonna keep an eye on you while you're alone. It's now part of the job." Winking at her at he stood back up, Lance wandered away and let that tidbit sink in as he then went back to serving the other customers.

Kagome watched after him, her jaw nearly on the bar top. The fuck? How in the hell did he know that? Taking the bartender in, she couldn't figure out if he was a demon or just a human 'in the know'. Seriously, screw those damn charms that covered demonic auras. Giving her head a shake, she picked up her glass and decided she was too sober for this crap and ending up sucking it down like it was water. Yeah, she was gonna hate her life tomorrow, but at least she wouldn't go completely crazy tonight.

For the next near hour she stayed at the bar and continued to be served and also engaged the bartender in a small broken up conversation, during which, she learned he was a leopard youkai, which was how he knew what she was to Kouga. He wouldn't tell her what his charm was, or what all it concealed, but he did tell her that maybe other day he would take it off so long as there were no other humans around.

Also, to her great surprise, Hakkaku had moved to sit next to her when that stool became available. She was, even in her drunken state, careful about what all she said because she really didn't want to get back into the story she already told once. When she was asked about the mating and when it happened, all she did was smile wide and tell him it was none of his fucking business.

That was also the point in time Kouga returned. He had found her at the bar and when he saw who she was talking to, he walked up behind her stool and wrapped an arm around her waist and smacked Hakkaku in the back of the head with the other. Being as drunk as she now was, Kagome had snorted hard at the assault, but looked away when all eyes fell on her.

Kouga rolled his eyes, but chuckled despite the situation. Instead, he looked at Hakkaku and leveled him with a look, to which Hakkaku gulped and nodded with no more questions. Turning and leaning against the bar between the two stools, Kouga then smiled at Kagome. "Thought you were going back to your friends."

Kagome looked at him and shrugged. "I did. Was having a lot of fun too until I kept getting stared at. It got really uncomfortable and I couldn't take it anymore. The other girls wanted to stay on the floor and I didn't want to go into the lounge by myself, so I came and sat down."

Kouga nodded and gave the room a once over, seeing there were quite a few of the security guards looking her way. Turning back to her, he spoke a little louder than necessary. "Tell them to knock it the fuck off and quit fucking staring." Shifting his eyes again, smirking when everyone looked away, he looked back at his mate. "You'll get used to it. You're their boss' mate, and there are other demons present. They're just keeping an eye on you. If you don't like it and tell them to stop, they should." Seeing more than hearing the huff, Kouga leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I told you, you have no idea what you're in for. You're the human mate of the Regional Demon Lord. Security is going to be up your ass like you wouldn't believe."

Rearing back, Kagome blinked. "That is not, at all, what I thought you meant."

Kouga cocked a brow. "You really need to stop assuming you know what I mean when I say something. If you're confused, you need to start asking for clarification. A lot of crap will be avoided in the future if we're on the same page." Giving her a pointed look, "No more huge surprises for me, and less discomfort for you."

When Kagome opened her mouth to argue, she shut it just as quickly and nodded her agreement. It was her making an assumption that got them into this mess, and it was another that left her with a huge case of the heeby jeebies. So, instead, she changed the subject. "Did you finish what you needed to?"

Ever the smart ass, Kouga grinned. "Why? Didja miss me?"

Alcohol taking away her verbal filter, Kagome quipped back. "Not in the slightest. I was just curious if you were going to be going away again so I can continue to deplete your inventory without fear of you taking it away again."

Raising an arm, Kouga pointed a finger at her. "I took away one drink, that wasn't even a fucking drink. It was a trip to the hospital for you, and the loss of my liquor licence. Sorry, not gonna let you drink a massive amount of vodka in that short amount of time. I let you have the first one, if you recall. You can get as drunk as you want, I don't care. I do care about you dyi..."

Kagome picked up her glass and shoved the straw to it in Kouga's mouth midword. "Too serious. Shut up and drink, Grumpy Pants."

Lance snorted and Hakkaku choked on his own drink. No one, literally no one, would have gotten away with doing something like that to Kouga but Kagome. Hell, the other two demons were pretty sure he would have done it even if the girl wasn't his mate because it was just so damn cute.

Kagome then turned her drunk eyes on Lance when the glass was empty. "Some asshole drank my drink. I need another one, please."

Lance barked out a laugh and looked at Kagome. "I like you." Grinning wider at Kouga when he growled at him, Lance went about making another vodka and cranberry, but going light on the alcohol. Truthfully, he had started to make them weaker and weaker as she began to get really drunk, but she watched him like a hawk, so he couldn't get away with omitting it completely. He would be cutting her off after this, though, birthday or not, until she had at least three glasses of water and some food.

Completely ignoring the glass that was placed in front of her, Kagome perked up and grabbed Kouga's arm with both hands. "Dance with me."

Kouga looked into her bright eyes, but shook his head. "I don't dance. But you go have fun."

Face taking on a full on pout, Kagome bounced in her seat. "Pleeeeease? One dance. I'll even let you get close enough to Ginta to stomp on his foot."

Chuckling, Kouga clicked his tongue. "As tempting as that sounds, I still don't dance."

Letting go of his arm and crossing hers, she huffed and dropped back in her seat. "You're no fun. I bet Lance would dance with me."

Glaring over his shoulder at the 'hell yeah I would', Kouga snapped his teeth at the leopard demon. "Lance has to work."

A spark entered Kagome's eyes as she hopped off her stool and moved to stand in front of Kouga. "You know what? You're right. Lance is working. But you know what else?" Reaching over, she then grabbed Hakkaku's arm and yanked him off his stool. "Hakkaku doesn't." Giving him a sassy smirk, she whirled around and pulled a very stunned and clearly terrified wolf demon behind her, calling back to Kouga it was his loss.

Making a face, Kouga watched after them, turning his head slightly when Lance started taking in his ear. "Ya know, if I just found out a girl like that was my mate, I don't think I'd be so gracious as to let another man dance with her. Pretty sure I'd deal with just one dance."

Looking back over his shoulder, Kouga narrowed his eyes. "You really need to stop eavesdropping into other people's conversations, asshole."

Lance just shrugged and leaned on his forearms on the bar. "I can't help it, and you know it. Just because my ears are hidden doesn't mean my hearing has diminished. But, that's beside the point. The point is, you just found out you have a mate, and a pretty awesome one as far as humans go. Are you really just going to stand there and watch a member of your clan make her happy? It's one dance. It won't actually kill you."

Kouga raised a brow. "Are you sure? All I've wanted to do for the last four hours is fuck the girl senseless and have been walking around with a cock as hard as stone."

Lance cocked a brow back. "She would probably let you. Your girl is wasted."

Kouga shook his head and returned his attention to the dance floor where Kagome was laughing with her friends and Hakkaku was looking all kinds of uncomfortable. "Not tonight. Trashed or not, she's a Lady now, and will be treated like one."

Lance chuckled. "Well, look at you, all chivalrous and shit. I thought you liked 'em drunk."

Growling deep low in his throat, Kouga slowly turned back to look at the cat, who clearly knew he just crossed the line. "Watch your tongue, Kitten, or I will remove it. She's not a drunken whore and I won't treat her like one. Do you understand me?"

Lance cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah, sorry, Boss."

Growling again, Kouga turned away after telling Lance to get back to work. He watched from the bar as his mate smiled and laughed, but he could clearly see her heart wasn't in it. He saw her continually glance his way and sighed. He could feel her upset, but he really didn't dance. He hated it. It was all but having sex with clothes on anymore and he told her they would take it as slow as they could. He was positive he would go back on that if he felt her pressing up against him like that. She was so drunk at that point, he would honestly feel like he would be taking advantage of her and that was something he absolutely refused to do. Maybe three or four drinks ago he would have answered differently, but as of now, it was best if there was no full body contact.


	13. Chapter 13

When last call was made, Kouga excused himself from the group that gathered in the girl's lounge and went to the bar, asking Lance for both the party tab and the nightly print out. He was leaning on the bartop while waiting, and sighed when he felt a pair of arms slip around his waist. Face taking on a flat look, he stood up and grabbed the hands that were sliding up his chest and stepped to the side.

Looking to see who it was, he cocked a brow at the perfect fucking stranger next to him. "Can I help you with something?"

The very, very intoxicated girl batted her lashes and gave what she thought were bedroom eyes, and Kouga suppressed a shudder when she set her hand on his chest. Her voice, he thought, was meant to be sexy or something, but all it did was grate his ears. "I'm sure you can, Handsome."

 _Jesus Christ._ Looking around her, he crooked a finger at a security guard and looked back at the girl that was trying to unbutton his shirt. Grabbing her wrists and using them to hold her arms at her side, he gave her a smile. "As tempting as that sounds, I'm taken. Yoshio here, though, loves to take care of young ladies."

There was a snort from the security guard, but other wise he said nothing as Kouga passed the chick off to him.

Smoothing out his top, Kouga took the papers he was handed by Lance and looked at Yoshio. "See if you can figure out who she belongs with. If you can't, put her in a cab and give the driver a cab voucher. I'll take care of it."

The girl perked up at hearing 'I'll take care of it' and her drunken mind took it wrong. Pulling against the hold on her arm and tried to press herself back against Kouga. "You're gonna take care of me?"

Chuckling and shaking his head, Kouga smirked. "No no, you drunken onna. That's not what I said. Now, you run along and Yoshio will make sure you get home." Sliding his eyes to the guard, he gave him a pointed look and shook his head again when all it took to get her to go away was Yoshio saying 'hello'. Rolling his eyes, he looked at the two papers in his hands, his eyes going wide at the tab for Kagome's party. Looking at Lance, he tore it in half while shaking his head. "Holy shit, can those girls drink. They got the first two hundred on us."

Lance chuckled and shrugged. "Well, there was four of them and two hundred doesn't really cover much for a party that size, especially when one of them is celebrating a birthday. Honestly, you should see of the tabs I cash out at the end of the night. If you think that one's high, you have no idea."

Making a face, Kouga made a mental note to have a talk with his bartenders about the art of cutting people off. He then looked at the closing slip for the night. "I see. Comp the tab as a walkout and pull one fifty for the tip. Gimme a pen."

Grabbing the requested writing tool, Lance walked over and set it on the bartop and looked at his watch. Seeing it was ten minutes to closing, he crouched and opened the cupboard that held the house light dials and turned them up, smirking at the resounding groan from the people that were still there. When he was standing, he looked at the head server and told her to start collecting glasses before turning his attention back to Kouga. "I never rang anything in for them after the...uh... discovery. The VIP allowance covered what was."

Not looking up from what he was doing, Kouga nodded absently with a hum. "Whatever." Turning away from the bar with his eyes still on the nightly report, he spoke as he walked away. "Just make sure you put a slip in the drawer for the one fifty and let me know when the car shows up for Kagome and her friends. Driver called and said he was running late due to an accident." He paused and looked back when a thought occurred to him. "And make sure the shot lines to the lounges are actually shut off, cleared, and flushed tonight. Nishi didn't do it last night and the lines were gross when the ice company came in with the sculptures." Turning back and heading to his office, he glanced at his watch and called from the hallway. "Clear this place out in three minutes."

Lance nodded from behind the bar as he was starting to pull tops off bottles and put the caps back on. "You got it, Boss." With a high pitched whistle and twirl of his finger, Lance had security and bouncers starting to move the crowd towards the exit. Once he was sure they would get the place cleared, he went back to closing out the bar.

He was closing out the register when there was a voice behind him he was really starting to enjoy hearing. "Where's The Boss?"

He said nothing for a moment as the printer spit out the actual information for the till. Once it was done, he opened the drawer and put the report and the slip for the tip he was told to take before pulling the drawer and turning to Kagome. "Back in his office. If you take a right through the doorway and take it to the end of the hall, it's on the left. If you would be so kind, take this with you."

Chuckling in her throat, Kagome picked the till up off the counter. "What makes you think I'm not going to take some of this? You don't know me. I could be a dirty, underhanded thief that's about to rob you blind."

Lance snorted. "Sure, you could be. But, it wouldn't be me you're stealing from, and he'll know."

Giggling again, Kagome said nothing else as she turned away from the bar and followed the directions given to Kouga's office, cash drawer under her arm. It had indeed crossed her mind to teach Lance a lesson, but at the same time, she didn't actually want to get him in trouble, or herself for that matter.

She gave a light tap on the door before pushing it open, smiling at the man sitting at the desk, but pressing her lips together when she saw he was on the phone. He pointed her to the couch on the other side of the room and, after setting the drawer on his desk, she followed his unspoken request to have a seat until he was done.

Glancing at the drawer on his desk and cocking a brow at it, he quickly had his attention pulled back to his call with the limo driver. Closing his eyes and rubbing between them with the tip of his finger, he sighed hard. "So, basically, you're saying you're not going to be showing up any fucking time soon. Am I understanding this right?"

" _Yes, Sir. It's gridlocked and I haven't moved an inch since I called you twenty minutes ago. I called my boss and he has another car ready to go, but it'll be about a half hour before they get there."_

Looking at his mate who was looking at him, Kouga nodded. "Call him back and have him send the backup. While the company is nice, I have to get these girls home." After confirmation he would do so, Kouga hung up with the driver and looked at Kagome. "Lance's lazy ass trying to put you to work, or did he do something he doesn't want me to know?"

Kagome shrugged. "I dunno. I asked where you were and he asked me to bring it with me." When Kouga hummed, she tilted her head, "Everything alright?"

Kouga ran his hands down his face then rubbed them together. "Depends on your definition, I guess. There was an accident that held up your driver, and he just called back saying he won't be able to make it at all. They are sending a backup car for you and your friends, but it's going to be a while before he gets here."

Kagome, thinking she would help out, offered up some information. "Well, Eri was getting ready to leave with Ginta and Yuka was invited to go get something to eat with Hakkaku and she accepted. Ayumi left right after you did with someone she knew from college. So, with it just being me, I can take a cab."

Cocking a brow, Kouga picked up his phone and sent a text to the original driver to tell his boss not to bother with sending another car. However, while he was doing that, he addressed Kagome. "No, you won't. I'll take you home myself when I'm done."

Kagome pursed her lips. "It's really no big deal, Kouga."

Kouga nodded as he turned to face his computer. "You're right. It's not. Besides, if given the opportunity to make sure you get home safe, I'm gonna take it."

Kagome just shrugged with a 'suit yourself' as she settled further into the couch she was sitting on and decided to use the time to really get a good look at the wolf Prince now that they were under normal lighting. Honestly, though, other than a few very fine lines besides his eyes and lips, there was literally nothing that separated him from the man she used to know, even of his actual personality was somewhat different than it was. He was still just as blunt as always, if not a little more so, and his mannerisms haven't changed all that much either.

She did wish, though, that he had at least a few memories of her. They did have some pretty good times in the past and she really wanted him to know them, not just hear about them second hand if the subject ever came up in the future.

In her drunken state, she decided to bring up something that was actually a pretty sore spot with the Kouga she knew, but her dn filter skipped out on her, leaving her to fend for herself against word vomit.

"So, the Birds of Paradise."

The completely out of the blue statement caught Kouga so completely off guard, he choked on the water he had been drinking and whipped his head to the side to stare at his mate in utter shock. "What the... What?"

Kagome just shrugged. "They were how we had originally met. I was just curious if they were still a problem for you in your past like they were in the one I know."

Lips parted, Kouga slowly shook his head. "Not really. They were pests, but easy to deal with. Why?"

"Cause they ate your tribe. I was helping you defeat the head of the flock that had the jewel shard, and that's when Inuyasha showed up to rescue me. He saw me help you, we got into it, and you declared your love for me. This was of course after I bitch smacked you and you decided I was gonna be your woman." She paused there and giggled. "Guess you were right."

Kouga smirked at her. "I usually am, Koi." Leaning back in his chair, he crossed his arms. "For curiosity sake, why did you slap me?"

Kagome giggled again. "I didn't just slap you. I bitch smacked you. Shippo, who was still a little kid at the time, had grabbed onto your tail when you kidnapped me because I could see the jewel shards. He used his Firefox magic to change into you so we could escape, but it didn't fully work right. I sent him away from the cave and you showed up going on about something about loyalty and said you were gonna make me your woman. I slapped you for it and told you I wasn't just something you claim like that."

Kouga listened to the recount and couldn't help but chuckle. Yeah, that sounded like him. Giving his mate a grin, he nodded. "Loyalty is one of the most important things to a wolf, and something that is very hard to find. I could see that happening." Looking back at his computer, he inquired. "So, after that, I can assume there were more interactions with us?"

A soft smile formed on Kagome's lips as she nodded. "Oh, yeah. You went out of your way to piss off Inuyasha and to show me you cared. You even picked me flowers once and showed up just to give them to me. Normally, you showed up when I was in danger, but that one time, you showed up just to give me wild flowers before you were off again."

Stopping what he was doing, Kouga looked at the faraway look in her eyes,and couldn't stop himself from asking. "Did you love him?"

Kagome cocked her head to the side. "Him who?"

"The Kouga you remember. You obviously cared about him since you slept with him. But did you love him?"

Kagome gave herself a moment to think about that. Did she? She did care about him, a whole lot more than she ever thought she would, but was it love? Finally, she settled on what she knew she wouldn't be able to deny. "I would have, and it wouldn't have taken much. Maybe if we had more time that answer would be different, but that's the most truthful answer. I was certainly falling for him. I don't know if I did, but I do know I would have." Looking at the wolf, "you have to understand, or at least try to, that it was a time sensitive issue that was being dealt with. While I would have loved nothing more than to wait a little longer, I couldn't. If I had, I wouldn't have been able to do it at all. I know you think I was selfish about it, and maybe I was, but if I hadn't made the wish when I did, I never would have and that jewel, in this time, would have been nothing but a disaster had I lost it somehow. I'm sorry for what you lost, I really am, but even had I told him what I was doing, you still wouldn't have have known what he did."

While Kagome was talking, Kouga moved from his desk chair to the couch, turned to face her with one arm over the back of the couch behind Kagome's shoulders and one ankle set on his knee. As he listened, he took the time to consider her position, and could see where she was coming from. He didn't really know the whole story, and probably never would, but he could see her point of view and had to agree no matter how things went down at the end with the wish, she had a point in he still wouldn't have known.

He was, however, heartened to know where her feelings lied. Sure, they might not have been for him persay, but he at least felt he had a starting point and wasn't quite so lost in the situation. He would have done what he always did and allowed his instincts to guide him, but going in blind was never what he would call fun.

Scratching the back of his head, Kouga let out a quiet sigh. "I do understand your position, I really do. But, understanding it and liking it will never be the same thing. I'm allowed to not like it, Kagome, just like you're allowed to have issues with the situation as well. There are parts of this neither one of us will ever know. Neither of us will ever know what was going through his mind when he bit you, or even if anything was.

"The facts as they stand are pretty fucked up, and you have to agree with that, at least to a point. I'm not going to say I'm not upset over tonight's discovery, but perhaps I haven't explained why very well. I'm not so upset over the fact I found out I have a mate. I'm more upset over it taking so long to find that out. I shouldn't have said you were selfish. You didn't know until I told you, and you did try and find me. I have to keep in mind you're not a demon, and you don't fully understand the bond we share, at least not yet. None of this is your fault, and I'm not saying it is. All I can really say on the matter is now that you do know, are you willing to give me the chance you were in the process of giving him?"

Kagome looked at him, her mind whirling with what Kouga just said. She had been terrified pretty much since the discovery was made that he somehow blamed her for this, but her heart soared when he put that fear to rest. However, when he presented his question, she was brought up a little short. "I don't understand. I thought you said it would soon be impossible for us to be away from each other. How would I have a choice but to give you a chance if that's the case?"

Kouga rolled his head on his shoulders as he figured out the best way to answer that. "It won't be impossible to be away from each other, just very, very painful. It could be done, though, if you really didn't want to be around me. I guess what I'm asking is, if I hadn't told you about that, would you have been willing to give me a real chance, knowing we had the time you didn't have before?" He had no idea if he was making any sense, but he hoped she would get what he was trying to ask.

Kagome just smiled. "When I found out I was coming to your bar tonight, I had this hope that, somehow, I would at least get my friend back. I didn't come here knowing I was going to be turning your life upside down instead. I just wanted to see you again, to see for myself you were alive and not just my eyes playing tricks on me because I was becoming so desperate."

Though she blushed slightly at the admission, she pressed on. "But, the answer to your question about giving you a chance, yeah, I would still do that regardless of everything you told me."

Kouga flexed the arm behind Kagome's shoulders and leaned forward, the two actions bringing her to him and him meeting her halfway, capturing her lips with his.

Sure, he said he wouldn't take advantage of her drunken state and sleep with her, but he never said if the opportunity to kiss her arose he wouldn't take it, and damn if he didn't wish he had done it sooner. Strawberry wine was one of his favorites and that's exactly what she tasted like.

While it was true Kagome had never imagined she and Kouga would have picked up nearly where they left off, with a few major differences, she wasn't about to stop it. Just like the last time she was in this position with him, it was truly like she was unable to control herself. Her arms slid up and wrapped around his neck and she felt his move down to her waist.

Refusing to allow their lips to break contact, Kouga grabbed his mate's hips in his hands and lifted her off the couch next to him and set her in his lap, repositioning himself when she did so she was instead straddling his hips. This was going to get out of hand fast, but as she pressed herself against him, he was quickly losing every ounce of his limited morals to not just fuck the shit out of her and reaffirm his claim.

He was, however, able to again get a grip on his raging limbido when her fingers found a ticklish spot on his side and bring him back to himself. Grabbing her wrists and breaking their kiss, he was breathing hard and shook his head. "Don't do that."

Catching her breath herself, Kagome cocked a brow. "Still don't like it?"

Clearing his throat, Kouga confirmed it. "No, I don't. But it's not just because I hate being tickled." At her confused look, Kouga bucked his hips hard against her's, showing, rather than telling, why it was a bad idea. When he saw a spark enter her eyes, he leveled her with a look. "Don't you dare. I'm _trying_ to be good here."

Kagome pouted. "Why?"

Kouga just chuckled. "A few reasons, not the least of which is there are still others present, I am in the office, and they have a tendency to not knock before they come in. But, the biggest reason is, this isn't happening while you're drunk."

Kagome's pout deepened. "But, it's my birthday."

With a grin, Kouga leaned forward and nipped at her bottom lip. "Stop it. As cute as it is, that doesn't work on me." Leaning back, he smiled at her. "When it does, we're both going to remember it this time."

Nose scrunching, Kagome huffed slightly. "I would remember it."

Cocking a brow at her, Kouga deadpanned. "Kagome..."

With a sigh, she finally nodded. "You win."

Kouga shook his head and leaned back into her. "I wouldn't say that." He then recaptured her lips, this time in full control of himself. He absolutely wanted to go further than he was allowing things to go, but he also absolutely refused to take advantage of his drunk mate the first time he actually slept with her.

Once that first time was under their belts, however, he would never have this problem again.


	14. Chapter 14

It was early the next afternoon and Kagome was sitting at her kitchen table about ready to pull her hair out. That was the tenth time she was all but laughed at during a phone interview and she was near tears because of it. She had put it off as long as she could, but it was time to actually find a real job and not just the odd ones she picked up here and there, but she was right about her high school transcripts making this a nearly impossible task. She had been at it for over two hours, and she was no closer than she was when she started.

Crossing off yet another job posting in the paper, she went back to scanning the ads. She was looking at a posting for the front desk of a spa when her mother's voice broke into her thoughts, telling her she had a visitor. Looking up from the paper, she blinked when she saw Kouga standing in the doorway, and the very impressed look on her mother's face as she looked at her.

Though she was excited to see him, her mood wouldn't let her show it. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

He just smiled at her. "Missed you."

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Kagome looked at her mother. "Mom, can you give us a minute, please?"

Mrs. Higarashi nodded. "Of course, Dear. I'll be outside if you need anything." Then she turned to the wolf. "It was very nice to meet you, Kouga."

He grinned at her and nodded, and walked over to Kagome when she left the room, dipping his head and pressing his lips to his mate's. When he broke their kiss, he didn't fully pull back, just spoke in a quiet voice. "What's the problem? You got me going nuts, Koi."

Kagome sighed and waved at the table in front of her, indicating the scattered newspaper. "I'm trying to find a job, but like I told you last night, all that back and forth to the past really screwed up my schooling and because of that..." She sighed again and shrugged a shoulder, trailing off, not wanting to finish the statement.

Kouga looked at the table and wrinkled his nose. She had told him about that, but he didn't realize it was THAT bad. Humming in his throat, he stood to his full height and grabbed her hands, pulling her out of her chair. "Come with me."

Groaning and refusing to actually stand up, Kagome shook her head. "I can't. I have to do this."

Kouga snorted. "I have shit to do today, too. But I'm not gonna get a bit of it done with you freaking out like you are. Just shut it and come with me."

Huffing with a glare, Kagome straightened the table and followed Kouga, who refused to tell her where he was taking her, out the door, telling her mother she would be back in while. The last place she ever thought he would take her, however, was a book store. She followed him through the aisles as he hunted for something, but he still wouldn't tell her what. She knew when he found it, though, because there was a triumphant ah-ha and he pulled a book from the the shelf and held it out to her.

She took it and cocked a brow at it. "Seriously?"

Kouga just shrugged. "What? You need a job. I need another bartender. Read it, memorize it, and be at the club no later than five-thirty so Lance can give you a crash course in running the bar."

Kagome made a noise in the back of her throat. "I really appreciate this, Kouga. Really, I do, but I don't think this is a good idea. I don't know anything about bars and I would hate if I screwed up really bad, which I know I will."

Kouga wasn't deterred in the least. He just crossed his arm. "Let me explain something to you about how this thing between us works. You have a problem, I fix it. Trust me, there is nothing you can do at the club that will screw anything up. It's Saturday, and the other bartender called off so lance will be on his own tonight if you refuse. He's a great bartender, but even he's gonna need some backup and I have a huge demonic party coming in tonight, so I can't be back there to help him. Really, you would be doing me the bigger favor. Besides, I won't be able to do anything today with you and your emotions bouncing all over the place like they are."

Looking back at the book in her hand, Kagome scratched her temple and sighed again as she nodded. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Grinning at his mate, Kouga took the book from her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to him and dipping his head to hers. "Fantastic." After stealing a kiss, he kept his arm around her and went to the register to pay for the 'Bartender's Little Black Book'. Once that was done and they were outside, Kouga went to his car and left Kagome on the sidewalk since they were only two blocks from the shrine. Looking at her over the top of his car, "Wear comfortable shoes and there will be a uniform waiting for you when you get there. Remember, no later than five-thirty. Doors open at six."

Kagome nodded and waved as Kouga pulled away from the curb, wondering what the hell she had just gotten herself into.

*X*

She had spent the rest of the afternoon reading and doing her best to memorize the contents of the book Kouga bought her, but she was positive she was going to mix up the drinks. At four o'clock, she got in the shower to get ready for the night, quizzing herself on the different recipes, hoping she was getting them right, but was pretty sure she wasn't.

She didn't do a lot to dress up since Kouga told her there was a uniform, but she did do her hair in a high ponytail and put on some makeup. After a glance at the clock, she pulled on her sneakers and darted out the door, determined to be at the club earlier than five-thirty to get more than half hour to get prepared for the night. She hoped to be there closer to five, but it was ten after when she pulled her car up to the curb in front of the door. She had no idea why Kouga told her to park there when she texted to ask about parking, but that question was answered when someone walked around to her door and opened it for her with a smile.

"Lady Kagome."

Not knowing what else to do, she smiled back as she climbed out of the car, and handed over her keys when she was asked for them. Valet... that explained that.

When she got to the door, the same bouncer from the night before gave her charming smile as he opened the door for her, dipping his head into a shallow bow as she passed. Before she completely went inside, she turned to the bouncer. "Is Kouga here?"

The bouncer shook his head. "Not yet, My Lady. He doesn't normally arrive until after six."

Giving him a nod, she continued her way inside, looking to the bar when she heard an excited call of her name. Grinning at Lance, she made her way over to him. "Hey, there. Ready to clean up my messes tonight?"

Lance laughed outright and smiled at her. "You'll be fine. I think you are only going to be responsible for keeping the dignitaries happy tonight while I deal with the assholes." He then reached under the bar and grabbed the outfit Kouga dropped off an hour ago and held it out to her. "Get changed and I'll give you the grand tour of the bar, kay?"

Taking her uniform, she pursed her lips and cocked a brow. "Dignitaries?"

Lance grunted and nodded his head. "Yeah, the Lords and Court. They get together once a month to discuss a bunch of crap none of them care about and figure out who of us demons needs financial aid and what can be done to ensure things continue as they are. It's Kouga's turn to host."

That got Kagome's attention. "Kouga's part of a demon court?"

Lance snorted hard. "No, he's not on the court. Kouga is the reigning Eastern Lord. How do you not know this?"

Kagome blinked, her voice flat. "It never came up, apparently."

"Actually..." All eyes turned to the aforementioned demon lord who was walking towards them. "I thought you knew, or I would have told you."

Kagome nodded slowly and licked her lips. "Well, I'm gonna go change." Walking away from the bar to head to the bathroom to change her clothes, Kagome wracked her brain, trying to remember if Kouga had ever told her he was a lord before or not, but honestly couldn't remember. He might have, but it would have been only in passing and not something that was just outright told to her. It was good to know, but it wasn't like it would have mattered either way. So he was a lord. Nothing wrong with that.

Once she was in the bathroom, she held up the top to her uniform and took a look at it. It wasn't anything special. It was a one shoulder strap black beater with the club's logo on the chest and the bottoms were a pair of black skorts. They looked a little short, but when she put them on, they weren't any shorter than the skirts she wore in school. Since there were shorts under the tennis style skirt, it wasn't that bad for moving around behind the bar. The shirt was a little tight, but the kind of shirt it was, would stretch a bit the longer she wore it.

All in all, she thought, it could have been worse. She was just super glad she decided to shave.

She did find it slightly amusing, however, that the strap of her shirt was on the opposite side of the bite mark.

Walking back into the bar, she spun as she moved, holding her arms out to the side. "Does it look alright?"

Kouga turned to look at her when she spoke, nodding his head when he saw it actually fit. He had been slightly worried since he wasn't positive about her size, but it looked good on her and he had to admit, he loved her in black. He turned to lean on the bar when she stopped next to him, lifting a shoulder when she asked why he was already there when she was told he didn't normally arrive until after six. "That fucking meeting tonight. Every time I host it in Osaka, something goes wrong when it's set up and I want to make sure that doesn't happen here and if it does, it's fixed before everyone else shows up. Seriously, you weren't told before?"

Kagome made a face. "I don't know. I might have been, but if I was, it wasn't an out and out admission and would only have been said in passing. He never really talked about himself like that. He was more of a 'in the now' guy, and other than once saying he was the leader of his tribe, I honestly don't recall if he said he was more than that and I never thought to ask."

Kouga nodded slowly. "Huh, alrighty then. Well, I guess now you know." When Kagome nodded, he continued. "All you need to do tonight is keep the fuckers happy and keep their drinks full. If they make you uncomfortable, and they probably will, either let me know, or get a guard and they'll handle it. Do not try and deal with the situation on your one and for Kami's sake, keep your temper and riki in check. They don't know you're a miko yet and I would like it if they didn't find out the hard way. Think you can do that?" When Kagome nodded again, he leaned in, gave her a kiss, and when he pulled away, he smiled at her. "Have fun and listen to Lance. I'll see you in a bit.


	15. Chapter 16

Kagome was sprawled out on the top of the bar, and not real sure how she got there. Her feet hurt, her back hurt, and she was so annoyed she could literally strangle someone and not mind the jail time. She would never again in her life not look at a bartender or server with anything with less than absolute respect again. How they ran around like that for hours at a time and keep a smile on their face she would never know. Those demonic dignitaries she had to deal with all night ran her completely ragged and they weren't even nice about it.

She got it. She was a human and to them, beneath them. However, she still didn't think she deserved to be referred to as 'ningin' all night. She was pretty sure she would have gotten that to stop had she told Kouga or Lance, but really, what would it have done but cause more issues and she didn't care to deal with those too.

Cracking an eye open when she heard a tapping by her head, she glared at Kouga. "Your friends fucking suck."

Kouga just snorted. "They aren't my friends, and I know. But, I'm quite proud of the way you dealt with them being such assholes tonight. I didn't think you would make it to the end of the night without hitting one of them."

"The thought crossed my mind."

Kouga chuckled. "I'm sure it did. However, believe it or not, you actually gained most of their respect by dealing with it and not running to me or another demon at the first sign of trouble. No one else would have let that shit slide."

Kagome's glare didn't lessen. "I don't want their respect. I want their blood." Then she cocked a brow. "Did they know who I was?"

Kouga nodded. "Yup. I told you this yesterday. Any demon within twenty feet is going to smell that mark. They knew the moment they walked in you were here, and as soon as you entered the lounge, they knew it was it you. Why do you think they were as bad as they were? Demons don't normally mate humans. We bed them, sure, but it's not normal for one to actually take a human as a mate. They might have gone too far, but they were testing you to see if you were strong enough to deal with being around them, because it's gonna happen again."

Shooting up into a sitting position, Kagome whined. "But, why?"

Sighing, Kouga explained. "While the marking is done in private, a mating is actually a very public affair. It's our version of getting married, more or less. You were only exposed to the court tonight, but you weren't introduced to them. That's something very different."

Kagome glared so hard her eyes squinted. "Did you ever think that, just maybe, it's not me drawing my own conclusions about shit and it's more YOU never give all the necessary fucking details up front?"

Kouga opened his mouth, then closed it. No, that thought never crossed his mind. Humming in his throat, he moved and stood in front of his mate, setting a hand on either side of her and looking up at her adorably pissed off face. "You're right, and I apologize. Let me make it up to you."

Kagome crossed her arms. "And just how do you intend to do that?"

Grabbing her by her folded arms, he pulled her to him, leaning forwards and whispering in her ear, but she couldn't make it out before she pulled back and shocked her enough to squeal with he gave her arms a yank and jerked her off the bar and over his shoulder.

Unable to stop herself, Kagome laughed as she tried to scold him. "Stop it, Kouga. I'm mad at you."

Kouga continued on his course out of the bar and towards his office. "Yeah, I can tell. You sound absolutely pissed."

She wasn't though, and he could feel it. She was also sober, so there was nothing stopping him from reasserting his claim on his mate, and actually know he was doing it.

Never had he thought he would be so surprised as to find out he had a mate, or that there would be such a convoluted story to how it happened. It didn't matter, though. He learned centuries ago life never tended to go as planned and to always expect to the unexpected. No, he didn't think that would have included something like this, but as he dropped his still laughing mate onto the couch in his office and pulled his shirt off, he shoved all rational thought from his mind.

He didn't anticipate it, but he sure as fuck wouldn't change it.


End file.
